Latest news with #OpenSecret
Euronews
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Remembering MI5's first female boss and author Dame Stella Rimington
Dame Stella Rimington, the trailblazing first female director general of MI5, the UK's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, died aged 90. She was an accomplished author and also widely credited as the inspiration for Dame Judi Dench's M, the chief of sister agency MI6, in the James Bond films. Dame Stella passed away on Sunday night, with her family later releasing the following statement: "She died surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath." Ken McCallum, MI5's current chief, said she was 'the first avowed female head of any intelligence agency in the world' and praised her for breaking 'through longstanding barriers'. She was, he added: 'A visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership.' Born Stella Whitehouse in South Norwood on 13 May 1935, Rimington was appointed deputy director general in 1991 and then director general a year later. She held the post from 1992 to 1996. She became the first head of MI5 to be publicly identified when appointed and used her time as director general to bring the service out of the shadows. After leaving MI5 in 1996, Rimington was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II. In her first interview after leaving the agency, with the Guardian, Rimington said she was drawn to the world of espionage in spite of 'all of these tweedy guys with pipes'. 'I still thought the essence of the cold war and spies and stuff was fun. You know, going around listening to people's telephones and opening their mail and stuff,' she added. Following her tenure at MI5, the ex-spymaster began a career as a novelist and even chaired the judging panel for the Man Booker Prize for literature. Her first book, 'Open Secret', was a memoir published in 2001. It created a stir, as the UK government at the time weren't pleased about the plublication of a tell-all book. A series of novels followed, including eight with the character of Liz Carlyle, a fictional MI5 officer. In 2022, Rimington published 'The Devil's Bargain,' which introduced a new heroine, CIA officer Manon Tyler. Following in Rimington's footsteps in top UK intelligence posts were Eliza Manningham-Buller, who led MI5 between 2002 and 2007, and Blaise Metreweli, who was named as the first female head of MI6 in June. Dame Stella Rimington is survived by her husband, two daughters, five grandchildren, and her dogs.
Hindustan Times
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Stella Rimington, Britain's first female spy chief, dies aged 90
By William James Stella Rimington, Britain's first female spy chief, dies aged 90 LONDON -Stella Rimington, the first female director general of Britain's MI5 security and counter-intelligence service who ushered in an era of greater transparency at the agency, has died aged 90. Rimington, who ran the domestic security agency between 1992 and 1996, was its first head to be publicly named and later wrote a memoir "Open Secret" about her career at the formerly secretive organisation. She went on to write a series of espionage novels and is also widely thought to have inspired actor Judy Dench's tough but playful characterisation of the fictional spymaster 'M' in several James Bond movies. "She died surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath," a family statement quoted by local media said. Rimington was given one of the British state's highest honours when she was made a dame in 1996. She joined MI5 in 1969 and worked in roles including counter-subversion and counter-terrorism. Under her leadership MI5 took a more prominent role in Britain's fight against Irish republican militants, according to a profile on the MI5 website. "As the first avowed female head of any intelligence agency in the world, Dame Stella broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership," current MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said in a statement. She committed the agency to a more transparent approach to its work, softening its post-Cold War image. "We are, of course, obliged to keep information secret in order to be effective, this is not to say that we should necessarily be a wholly secret organisation," she said in a publicly broadcast 1994 lecture. "Secrecy is not imposed for its own sake. It is not an end in itself." Foreshadowing her later literary career, Rimington opened that same speech with a nod to the British spy novel tradition and the fascination with the security services it had inspired among the general public. "It is exciting stuff and has led to the creation of many myths - and some lurid speculation - about our work. I must admit that it is with some hesitation that I set out tonight to shed some daylight," she said. "I have a sneaking feeling that the fiction may turn out to be more fun than the reality." This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Edinburgh Live
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Tributes pour in for Edinburgh University alumnus and first female chief of MI5
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Stella Rimington, the first female chief of Britain's MI5 intelligence agency and later a successful thriller writer, has died at the age of 90. The first woman to head a U.K. intelligence agency, Rimington was the inspiration for Judi Dench's portrayal of MI6 chief M in seven James Bond films. Her family said in a statement that Rimington died on Sunday "surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath." MI5's current director-general, Ken McCallum, said that "as the first avowed female head of any intelligence agency in the world, Dame Stella broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership." Born in London in 1935, Rimington studied English at Edinburgh University and later worked as an archivist. She was living in India with her diplomat husband in the mid-1960s when she was recruited by MI5, Britain's domestic security service, as a part-time clerk and typist in its New Delhi office. She joined the agency full-time after moving back to London in 1969 and rose through the ranks, overcoming rules that kept the most prestigious roles, such as recruiting and running agents, for men only. She worked in each of MI5's operational branches - counterespionage, counterterrorism and counter-subversion - at a time when MI5's work included sniffing out Soviet spies, infiltrating Northern Ireland militant groups and, controversially, spying on leftists, trade union leaders and other alleged subversives. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Rimington acknowledged in 2001 that the organization "may have been a bit over-enthusiastic" in some of its snooping on domestic targets during the Cold War. Rimington was appointed MI5 director-general in 1992, the first head of the organization to be named in public, and her tenure saw the secretive organization become slightly more open. Dench's first appearance as M, a role formerly played by men, was in "GoldenEye" in 1995. The film's producers said the casting was inspired by Rimington's appointment. After stepping down in 1996, Rimington was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight, by Queen Elizabeth II. Rimington later published a memoir, "Open Secret" - to the displeasure of the government - and a series of spy thrillers featuring fictional MI5 officer Liz Carlyle. "The Devil's Bargain," published in 2022, introduced a new heroine, CIA officer Manon Tyler. .Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Other women followed her top intelligence jobs. Eliza Manningham-Buller led MI5 between 2002 and 2007. Anne Keast-Butler became head of electronic and cyber-intelligence agency GCHQ in Metreweli was named in June as the first female head of the overseas intelligence agency, MI6. Rimington and her husband, John Rimington, separated in the 1980s, but moved back in together during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. "It's a good recipe for marriage, I'd say," she said. "Split up, live separately, and return to it later." She is survived by her husband, two daughters and five grandchildren.
New Straits Times
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Stella Rimington, first woman to lead UK's MI5 dies at 90
LONDON: Stella Rimington, the first woman to head the UK's domestic secret service MI5, has died at the age of 90, the spy agency announced on Monday. Rimington, who led MI5 from 1992 to 1996, was widely believed to be the inspiration behind the female role of M in the James Bond movies, played by UK star Judi Dench. She was the first director general of the intelligence service who was publicly named, as before Rimington's appointment in 1992, MI5 chiefs were never officially identified or photographed. Publication of her identity caused a press frenzy. "As the first avowed female head of any intelligence agency in the world, Dame Stella broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership," the current MI5 director general Ken McCallum said in a statement. "Her leadership ushered in a new era of openness and transparency about the work MI5 does to keep this country safe, a legacy that continues to this day." MCallum presented his condolences to Rimington's husband, two daughters, and her whole family after her death on Sunday. In a statement, her family said: "She died surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath." Born on May 13, 1935, in the southern London district of South Norwood, Rimington was first employed as a part-time typist at the British embassy in Delhi, having accompanied her diplomat husband to India. She then joined MI5 in a full-time post in 1969. Dubbed the "housewife superspy", the agency said Rimington had held various roles including in counter-subversion, counter-espionage and counter-terrorism. During her time as director general, the agency "underwent far-reaching transformation", the statement said. It also moved its headquarters and "instituted a policy of greater public openness to demystify the work of MI5, including beginning a programme of releasing MI5 files to The National Archives." But Rimington triggered controversy when she published her memoirs "Open Secret" in 2001 after her retirement, with some accusing her of treason and MI5 of trying to block the publication. "It was quite upsetting because suddenly you go from being an insider to being an outsider and that's quite a shock," she told The Guardian daily newspaper at the time. But she added: "I've never been one to retreat at the first whiff of gunshot." Another woman, Eliza Manningham-Butler, took up the helm of MI5 between 2002-2007. And Blaise Metreweli was named in June as the first female head of the UK's overseas spy service MI6.
Yomiuri Shimbun
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Stella Rimington, Britain's First Female Mi5 Spy Chief, Dies at 90
LONDON (AP) — Stella Rimington, the first female chief of Britain's MI5 intelligence agency and later a successful thriller writer, has died, her family said Monday. She was 90. The first woman to head a U.K. intelligence agency, Rimington was the inspiration for Judi Dench's portrayal of MI6 chief M in seven James Bond films. Her family said in a statement that Rimington died on Sunday 'surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath.' MI5's current director-general, Ken McCallum, said that 'as the first avowed female head of any intelligence agency in the world, Dame Stella broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership.' Born in London in 1935, Rimington studied English at Edinburgh University and later worked as an archivist. She was living in India with her diplomat husband in the mid-1960s when she was recruited by MI5, Britain's domestic security service, as a part-time clerk and typist in its New Delhi office. She joined the agency full-time after moving back to London in 1969 and rose through the ranks, overcoming rules that kept the most prestigious roles, such as recruiting and running agents, for men only. She worked in each of MI5's operational branches — counterespionage, counterterrorism and counter-subversion — at a time when MI5's work included sniffing out Soviet spies, infiltrating Northern Ireland militant groups and, controversially, spying on leftists, trade union leaders and other alleged subversives. Rimington acknowledged in 2001 that the organization 'may have been a bit over-enthusiastic' in some of its snooping on domestic targets during the Cold War. Rimington was appointed MI5 director-general in 1992, the first head of the organization to be named in public, and her tenure saw the secretive organization become slightly more open. Dench's first appearance as M, a role formerly played by men, was in 'GoldenEye' in 1995. The film's producers said the casting was inspired by Rimington's appointment. After stepping down in 1996, Rimington was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight, by Queen Elizabeth II. Rimington later published a memoir, 'Open Secret' — to the displeasure of the government — and a series of spy thrillers featuring fictional MI5 officer Liz Carlyle. 'The Devil's Bargain,' published in 2022, introduced a new heroine, CIA officer Manon Tyler. Other women followed her top intelligence jobs. Eliza Manningham-Buller led MI5 between 2002 and 2007. Anne Keast-Butler became head of electronic and cyber-intelligence agency GCHQ in Metreweli was named in June as the first female head of the overseas intelligence agency, MI6. Rimington and her husband, John Rimington, separated in the 1980s, but moved back in together during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. 'It's a good recipe for marriage, I'd say,' she said. 'Split up, live separately, and return to it later.' She is survived by her husband, two daughters and five grandchildren.
