MI6 has been ranked privately as a top spying hub in Europe, exceeding that of France and Ireland in its capability and reach. L’Express published the report, saying it had collated responses from intelligence experts across the world.
While this is good news for those who like a good league table, the point is lost on others who wonder what foreign spy bodies have in common.
In the world of covert activity, a sense of enmity is a common state of affairs. It may be that the UK has a good one, but maybe it means we’ve got a lot of work to do, as well. It’s not a positive indicator that MI6 has had to work that hard internationally.
Well done to those that make it work out as ‘The Secret Service’, but we need to do better on the home front to make sure we face less threats than ever before, not more. The bombastic political statements of late haven’t helped, and no doubt protesters continue to make our lives insecure.