John Profumo was born in 1915. Educated at Harrow
and Brasenose College, Oxford,
he became a member of the Conservative
Party and became the candidate for Kettering.
In
March 1940, was elected to the House of Commons.
However, the result caused a great deal of shock as a Workers and
Pensioners Anti-War candidate polled 27 per cent of the vote. A few
months later Profumo was one of the 33 party rebels who voted against
Neville
Chamberlain
and brought down his government.
In
1960 Harold
Macmillan appointed
Profumo as his Secretary of State for War. The following year Stephen
Ward introduced Profumo to Christine Keeler, a model who was having
an affair with Eugene Ivanov, an naval attaché at the Soviet
embassy.
Profumo
also began an affair with Keeler. She later claimed that Ward and
Ivanov were both Soviet spies and she had been asked to find out when
NATO nuclear weapons, targeted on the Soviet
Union, were to be moved to Germany.
On
2nd March, 1963, George Wigg, a Labour
Party MP, made a speech where he referred to rumours that Profumo
was having an affair with Christine Keeler. A few weeks later Profumo
made a personal statement where he admitted he knew Keeler but denied
there was any impropriety in their relationship. This statement failed
to stop newspapers publishing stories suggesting that Profumo had
lied about his relationship with Keeler. On 5th June 1963, Profumo
admitted that he had misled the House of Commons
and resigned from office.
After
leaving politics Profumo worked for Toynbee
Hall and in 1975 Profumo was awarded the CBE for his charity work
for the disadvantaged in the East End of London.
(1)
John Profumo, statement in the House of Commons (22nd March, 1963)
I understand that my name has been connected
with the rumours about the disappearance of Miss Keeler. I would like
to take this opportunity of making a personal statement about these
matters. I last saw Miss Keeler in December 1961 and I have not seen
her since. I have no idea where she is now. Any suggestion that I
was in any way connected with or responsible for her absence from
the trial at the Old Bailey is wholly and completely untrue. My wife
and I first met Miss Keeler at a house party in July 1961 at Cliveden.
Among a number of people there was Dr Stephen Ward, whom we already
knew slightly, and a Mr Ivanov, who was an attaché at the Russian
Embassy. The only other occasion that my wife or I met Mr Ivanov was
for a moment at the official reception for Major Gagarin at the Soviet
Embassy. My wife and I had a standing invitation to visit DR Ward.
Between July and December 1961, I met Miss Keeler on about half-a-dozen
occasions at DR Ward's flat, when I called to see him and his friends.
Miss Keeler and I were on friendly terms. There was no impropriety
whatsoever in my acquaintanceship with Miss Keeler. Mr Speaker, I
have made this personal statement because of what was said in the
House last evening by the three Honourable Members, and which of course
was protected by privilege. I shall not hesitate to issue writs for
libel and slander if scandalous allegations are made or repeated outside
the House.
(2)
John
Profumo, letter to Harold
Macmillan (5th June,
1963)
You will recall that on 22 March, following certain allegations made
in Parliament, I made a
personal statement. At the time rumour had charged me with assisting
in the disappearance of a witness, and with being involved in some
possible breach of security. So serious were these charges that I
allowed myself to think that my personal association with that witness,
which had also been the subject of rumour, was by comparison of minor
importance only. In my statement I said that there had been no impropriety
in this association. To my very deep regret I have to admit that this
was not true, and that I misled you, and my colleagues, and the House.
I ask you to understand
that I did this to protect, as I thought, my wife and family, who
were equally misled, as were my professional advisers. I have come
to realize that, by this deception, I have been guilty of a grave
misdemeanour and despite the fact that there is no truth whatever
in the other charges, I cannot remain a member of your Administration,
nor of the House of Commons. I cannot tell you of my deep remorse
for the embarrassment I have cause to you, to
my colleagues in the Government, to my constituents, and to the Party
which I have served for the past twenty-five years.
(3)
Editorial
in The Times (6th
June, 1963)
There
can be few more
lamentable documents in
British political history than Mr Profumo's letter of resignation.
In his reply the Prime Minister says: "This is a great tragedy
for you, your family, and your friends." It is also a great tragedy
for the probity of public life in Britain.
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