In 1963, it was learned that Defence Minister, John Profumo, had had an affair with 19-year old Christine Keeler who was also seeing a Soviet diplomat and suspected spy, Eugene Ivanov. The resulting scandal saw the death, an apparent suicide, of society osteopath Stephen Ward (who brought them together) and is widely regarded as contributing to the resignation of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan through ill health and the defeat of the Tory government at the next election - though the public was assured that national security had not been damaged. This book produces evidence that only a fraction of the story was made known at the time or revealed by the trial of Ward for prostitution. The involvement of MI5, the use of sex to procure defections, suspicions that Ward was murdered, and many other aspects of the case are produced here as links in a chain that leads right back to President Kennedy. The book is re-issued to coincide with the release of the film "Scandal". Anthony Summers has written other investigative books, including "The File on the Tsar", "Conspiracy" about the Kennedy's assassination, and "Goddess", a biography of Marilyn Monroe.
Stephen Dorrill also worked on "Goddess" and is co-editor of "Lobster", a political and intelligence quarterly.
- ISBN10 0340429739
- ISBN13 9780340429730
- Publish Date 1 March 1989 (first published 18 May 1987)
- Publish Status Transferred
- Out of Print 4 May 2000
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Coronet Books
- Edition New edition
- Format Paperback
- Pages 352
- Language English