Main content

Britain's Soviet spy scandal

In 1971 during the Cold War, the UK expelled 90 Soviet diplomats suspected of spying.

In 1971 during the Cold War, the UK expelled 90 Soviet diplomats suspected of spying. They'd been allowed into Britain in an attempt to improve relations, but it was later discovered that they'd been carrying out espionage instead. George Walden was a young diplomat working on the Soviet Desk in the Foreign Office at the time. He spoke to Dina Newman in 2018.

PHOTO: British Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-Home (left) shakes hands with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko (right) at Heathrow Airport, 26th October 1970. (credit: Ian Showell/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Thu 21 Apr 202202:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 20 Apr 202207:50GMT
  • Wed 20 Apr 202211:50GMT
  • Wed 20 Apr 202217:50GMT
  • Wed 20 Apr 202221:50GMT
  • Thu 21 Apr 202202:50GMT

Podcast