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as a "huge overreaction." In remarks reported in 2009, Rimington expressed concerns that the Brown administration was not "recognizing that there are risks, rather than frightening people in order to be able to pass laws which restrict civil liberties, precisely one of the objects of terrorism: that
466:
broadcast a statement from
Rimington who claimed that certain MI5 files collected by her predecessors had been destroyed, but without clarifying whether this took place during her appointment as Director General, or as part of her later involvement with the Archives Task Force.
310:
In 1967, after two years in India, Rimington was asked to assist one of the First
Secretaries at the High Commission with his office work. She agreed, and when she began, discovered that he was the representative in India of the British Security Service
481:. She and her fellow judges were widely criticised for focusing on "readability" rather than literary quality. Rimington responded during her speech at the Booker ceremony with a "diatribe" in which she compared British literary critics to the KGB.
489:
In 1963 she married John
Rimington, whom she knew from school. In 1984 they separated, with Stella retaining custody of their two daughters. They did not divorce because it "seemed a faff", and in later life reconciled, living together during the
534:: "Huge thanks are also due to Luke Jennings whose help with the research and the writing made it all happen." Some attributed the improvement in writing quality from her earlier autobiography to Jennings' involvement.
447:, fostered by her early career, through involvement with the Archives Task Force, where she visited a number of archives through the country and contributed to the report for the future strategy of archives in the UK.
529:
is breezily told, seldom pompous, and the plot, though every bit as hokey as you'd expect, winds its threads together very entertainingly." The acknowledgements section indicates that it was written with the help of
315:). Gaining her security clearance, Rimington worked in the MI5 office for nearly two years, until she and her husband returned to London in 1969, where she decided to apply for a permanent position at MI5.
206:, and the first DG whose name was publicised on appointment. In 1993, Rimington became the first DG of MI5 to pose openly for cameras at the launch of a brochure outlining the organisation's activities.
341:(prosecuted under his alias of "Erwin van Haarlem"), using the alias "Miss J". In 1990, she was promoted to one of the Service's two Deputy Director General positions, where she oversaw MI5's move to
330:
computer operators strike, Rimington became an assistant director of the revived Inter-departmental Group on
Subversion in Public Life to identify and limit the actions of subversives in the
1226:
513:, brings her knowledge of spy operations to the thriller genre. Her heroine is an MI5 intelligence officer, 34-year old Liz Carlyle, whose mission is to hunt down a terrorist cell.
381:, which revealed publicly, for the first time, details of MI5's activities, operations and duties, as well as the identity and even photographs of Rimington as Director General.
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345:. In December 1991, she made a visit to Moscow to make the first friendly contact between the British intelligence services and their old enemies the
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into adulthood, needing an exit route from any situation. She was educated at
Croslands Convent School after spending some time in
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In her first months as
Director General, Rimington was subject to a determined campaign by the British press to identify her. The
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had obtained and published covert photographs of her, despite which
Rimington oversaw a public relations campaign to improve the
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29:
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1121:"Spies in history and literature - British 'Insider' Spy Fiction in the Twenty-First Century: Dame Stella Rimington's Novels"
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in 1959. In 1963, she married John
Rimington and moved to London, where she successfully applied for a position at the
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494:. Rimington commented "It's a good recipe for marriage, I'd say: split up, live separately, and return to it later".
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Booker prize 2011: Stella
Rimington's broadside against critics was entertaining, for all the wrong reasons
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of the
Service and increase public transparency. On 16 July 1993, MI5 (with the reluctant approval of the
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in 1954 to study English. By chance, she met her future husband, John Rimington, whom she had known from
1377:
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440:, about a female intelligence officer, Liz Carlyle, was published. A series of further novels followed.
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In 1965, her husband was offered an overseas posting as First Secretary (Economic) for the British
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Rimington's work after leaving MI5 has been as a non-executive director for companies such as
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Stella Rimington Interview at The Agony Column Podcast with Rick Kleffel on 25 July 2008
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Between 1969 and 1990, Rimington worked in all three branches of the Security Service:
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349:. On her return from Russia she was told she had been promoted to Director General.
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in recognition of her support for openness about the work of the secret service.
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In 2009, Rimington received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Social Science from
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Completing her degree in 1958, Rimington studied archive administration at the
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in Cumbria, and the family moved there. She described living through the
202:, a position she held from 1992 to 1996. She was the first female DG of
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Open Secret: The Autobiography of the Former Director-General of MI5
548:
Open Secret: The Autobiography of the Former Director-General of MI5
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in New Delhi, India, and the couple sailed to India in September.
1017:"'Subversive' civil servants secretly blacklisted under Thatcher"
337:
In 1989, she gave evidence in court against the Czechoslovak spy
260:
230:. Her father got a job as chief draughtsman at a steel works in
258:. She spent her last summer of secondary school working as an
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Stella Rimington talks about her life and writing spy fiction
223:
1203:"Response to 9/11 was 'huge overreaction' - ex-MI5 chief"
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Her role in the service was considered a model for Dame
1098:"BG Group deputy CEO cashes in while ex-spy chief buys"
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in 1939, due to the danger of living in London during
384:Rimington retired from MI5 in 1996. She was made a
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198:(born 13 May 1935) is a British author and former
1395:"My belief is that showing emotion is a weakness"
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16:British author and former Director General of MI5
1552:People educated at Nottingham Girls' High School
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1008:
454:. She has also described the US response to the
1143:"Listening to the Past, Speaking to the Future"
1200:
1367:Stella Rimington, At Risk; Arrow, 2005, p456
936:. North West Evening Mail. 23 February 2009.
922:(Interview). Interviewed by Michael Segalov.
1305:(Interview). Interviewed by Sabine Durrant.
459:we live in fear and under a police state."
1422:, 18 July 2004. Retrieved on 31 July 2022.
1384:, 28 June 2004. Retrieved on 31 July 2022.
1201:Norton-Taylor, Richard (18 October 2008).
1068:(Supplement). 29 December 1995. p. 3.
436:, in 2001. In July 2004, her first novel,
432:Rimington published her memoirs, entitled
38:
1403:, 4 July 2004. Retrieved on 31 July 2022.
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477:She was chair of the judges for the 2011
1537:Dames Commander of the Order of the Bath
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328:Department of Health and Social Security
214:Rimington was born Stella Whitehouse in
1152:Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
450:In November 2005 she spoke out against
443:In 2004, she continued her interest in
386:Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath
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1376:Allen, Michael, quoting Sunday Times.
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824:(Due to be published 30 January 2025.)
250:, Derbyshire, the family moved to the
1532:Alumni of the University of Liverpool
1527:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
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965:from the original on 10 December 2022
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377:) published a 36-page booklet titled
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916:"I fell into intelligence by chance"
1432:The Hidden Hand publisher's website
914:Rimington, Stella (23 April 2022).
519:has received positive reviews with
352:
13:
1587:21st-century British women writers
1577:20th-century British women writers
1297:Rimington, Stella (10 July 2011).
883:"1993: Secret Service goes public"
264:in Paris, before enrolling at the
14:
1603:
1441:
1239:"Book tells of MI5's secret past"
1227:Spy chief: We risk a police state
1176:"Ex MI5 chief sparks ID card row"
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812:. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
791:. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
765:. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
746:. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
727:. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
704:. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
681:. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
218:, England; her family moved from
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1456:1993: Secret Service goes public
954:"'I thought it was all amusing'"
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256:Nottingham High School for Girls
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1414:"Stella's good on intelligence"
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863:(8 September). 8 September 2001
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246:. When her father got a job in
238:as a small child, and becoming
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1582:21st-century English novelists
1572:20th-century English novelists
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658:. London: Quercus Publishing.
639:. London: Quercus Publishing.
279:, before beginning work as an
1:
1592:British women autobiographers
1557:People from Barrow-in-Furness
1267:. Nottingham Trent University
840:
209:
44:Dame Stella Rimington in 2016
1015:Cobain, Ian (24 July 2018).
7:
1547:English spy fiction writers
1342:Leith, Sam (28 June 2004).
1265:"Dame Stella Rimington DCB"
934:"Stella attended Croslands"
828:
472:Nottingham Trent University
416:
10:
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1100:. CityWire. 24 August 2001
808:Rimington, Stella (2025).
787:Rimington, Stella (2022).
761:Rimington, Stella (2018).
742:Rimington, Stella (2016).
719:Rimington, Stella (2014).
696:Rimington, Stella (2012).
673:Rimington, Stella (2011).
654:Rimington, Stella (2009).
635:Rimington, Stella (2008).
616:Rimington, Stella (2007).
593:Rimington, Stella (2006).
574:Rimington, Stella (2004).
544:Rimington, Stella (2001).
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322:, counter subversion, and
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1048:. Kindle Singles. Amazon.
855:"First lady of espionage"
509:Rimington's first novel,
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1542:Directors General of MI5
1434:, Retrieved 10 May 2024.
1119:Hooker, Mark T. (2009).
890:: On This Day (16 July))
254:, where Stella attended
1567:English autobiographers
1489:Director General of MI5
1080:"Dame Stella Rimington"
277:University of Liverpool
266:University of Edinburgh
200:Director General of MI5
179:Director General of MI5
95:University of Liverpool
91:University of Edinburgh
620:. London: Hutchinson.
601:. London: Hutchinson.
578:. London: Hutchinson.
552:. London: Hutchinson.
492:covid lockdown of 2021
462:On 5 October 2009 the
390:1996 New Year Honours
326:. Following the 1979
191:Dame Stella Rimington
25:Dame Stella Rimington
1378:"Rimington Revealed"
1156:on 28 September 2007
1131:on 29 November 2010.
1046:The Spy With No Name
994:. Hutchinson. 2001.
379:The Security Service
293:India Office Library
285:County Record Office
130: 1963;
105:Intelligence officer
1474:Government offices
959:The Financial Times
789:The Devil's Bargain
763:The Moscow Sleepers
423:Marks & Spencer
165:Service branch
1562:English archivists
1482:Sir Patrick Walker
1382:Grumpy Old Bookman
1317:"Spooks on Stella"
1182:. 17 November 2005
1065:The London Gazette
781:Manon Tyler Novels
568:Liz Carlyle Novels
375:British Government
151:Espionage activity
1505:
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1496:Succeeded by
1412:Hensher, Philip.
1299:"The perfect spy"
819:978-1-5266-5273-7
798:978-1-5266-5149-5
772:978-1-4088-5975-9
753:978-1-63286-526-7
734:978-1-4088-4104-4
711:978-1-4088-3218-9
688:978-1-4088-1112-2
665:978-1-84724-994-4
646:978-1-84724-310-2
627:978-0-09-179722-5
452:national ID cards
405:James Bond series
324:counter terrorism
320:counter espionage
232:Barrow-in-Furness
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54:Stella Whitehouse
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1245:. 5 October 2009
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1042:Maysh, Jeff
434:Open Secret
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64:13 May 1935
1511:Categories
1493:1992–1996
1448:ABC.Net.au
1271:1 November
1249:1 November
1186:26 October
1160:8 February
1104:1 November
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841:References
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829:See also
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1125:Spywise
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