UK: MI5 Will Not Face Contempt Charges Over False Court Evidence
The Facts
- MI5, its Director General Ken McCallum and its officers will not face contempt of court proceedings over false evidence the service gave to three courts, the U.K.'s High Court ruled on Tuesday.
- MI5 falsely told three courts it had maintained its policy of "neither confirming nor denying" whether Agent X, a neo-Nazi who abused their partner, was an informant. However, a media officer had in fact confirmed his status to a journalist in 2020, with claim later helping secure a 2022 injunction against the BBC.
- An investigation by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office, ordered by the prime minister, found "serious and systemic failures" at MI5, with one senior officer lying "repeatedly." One officer has resigned and another faces internal disciplinary proceedings, while MI5 has publicly apologized for the incident.
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The Spin
Pro-government narrative
A drawn-out contempt trial would simply once again ask questions that have already been answered while pulling senior officers away from keeping the country safe. Accountability has already landed through public apologies and ended careers, and if any crimes are believed to have been committed, police and prosecutors will be sure to take the necessary steps to serve justice.
Government-critical narrative
Despite apologies and promises of change, the High Court's decision reaffirms the British state continues to hold itself above the law. Suggesting police action and delivering justice are two very different things, with empty gestures of regret falling on deaf ears to those who have been physically and emotionally damaged by MI5's actions.