One of the first things that Jonathan ('Call me Bob') Evans has done on taking up his new post at the organisation is to dumb down the criteria for aspiring 'spooks'.
On the organisations intriguingly named careers web page "WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR" it is made clear that one of the attributes that you need not necessarily have is a degree or formal qualification.
It seems the organisation has learned a thing or two since the days when it was reputed to find its new spies amongst the 'creme de la creme' of 'Oxbridge' graduates. Oxford and Cambridge did indeed produce an incredibly fine crop of intelligence operatives. However, much to its chagrin M15, and its sister organisation MI6, found they preferred to 'moonlight' for the Soviet Union.
It was more than an irritant to the Celtic League and also to many Celtic nationalists when MI5 (now following a make-over called the The Security Service) announced that it was to set up new Regional centres in several of the Celtic countries (Wales, Scotland & N. Ireland). After all has not half a century of intelligence mischief-making in those three countries been more than enough?
However, 'The Service' is doing its best to make amends and recruitment priority is apparently to be given to people from ethnic minority groups. Therefore if you are Scottish, Irish, Manx, Welsh or Cornish and are not particularly clever get your application form today from:
Before rushing to apply potential apprentice spooks are urged to read the "Statement of Purpose and Values." Bizarrely these include "a commitment to legality and integrity".
That is pretty rich coming from a Service whose operatives were recently reported to be attempting to further frustrate any enquiry into their thirty year murder spree in Ireland by recovering documents held by the Stevens enquiry and shredding any that might point incriminatingly towards those now at the top of the organisation!
Perhaps it is not such a good career option after all.
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
29/04/07
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