Reith lecture - an intriguing insight into the world of spooks - from the former head of MI5

ABC's Big Ideas has been playing a series of lectures from the BBC by the former MI5 head Dame Elizabeth Manningham-Buller. The three lectures are available through live streaming or podcasts to download. Highly recommended listening.



And coming from someone who has been at the very heart of counter-terrorism, these final words are all the more important:

What terrorism does is frighten us through its random effect and deter us from behaving normally. But we compound the problem of terrorism if we use it as a reason to erode the freedom of us all.

That is why I spoke out against the proposal to detain terrorists without charge for up to 42 days (90 had been originally proposed). We were to give up something of value, in effect the principle of habeas corpus, and for what? Some greater spurious security?

We must recognise the limits of what any government can do and be deeply cautious of anything that leads to security being seen as the opposite of liberty rather than essential to it.

Governments should aim to limit and reduce the threat of terrorism, encourage its causes to be recognised and addressed, protect what it can, and be ready to react with calm when it happens, reasserting our belief in our freedoms and the rule of law.


I note the ACT Government recently voted to extend anti-terrorism laws, with only the Greens voting against it.

Listen through to the end. She cops a cheeky question from a guy from the Russian Embassy, and gives him a 'polite' suggestion about improving embassy toilet (sorry: cloakroom!) facilities for women!

BBC has an interesting profile on her, including a snippet that in a former life as a teacher, she taught Nigella Lawson.