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The Black Door

Spies, Secret Intelligence and British Prime Ministers

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The Black Door

By: Richard Aldrich, Rory Cormac
Narrated by: Tom Clegg
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About this listen

The Black Door explores the evolving relationship between successive British prime ministers and the intelligence agencies, from Asquith’s Secret Service Bureau to Cameron’s National Security Council.

Intelligence can do a prime minister’s dirty work. For more than a century, secret wars have been waged directly from Number 10. They have staved off conflict, defeats and British decline through fancy footwork, often deceiving friend and foe alike. Yet as the birth of the modern British secret service in 1909, prime ministers were strangers to the secret world – sometimes with disastrous consequences. During the Second World War, Winston Churchill oversaw a remarkable revolution in the exploitation of intelligence, bringing it into the centre of government. Chruchill’s wartime regime also formed a school of intelligence for future prime ministers, and its secret legacy has endured. Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and David Cameron all became great enthusiasts for spies and special forces. Although Britain’s political leaders have often feigned ignorance about what one prime minister called this ‘strange underworld’, some of the most daring and controversial intelligence operations can be traced straight back to Number 10.

 Europe Freedom & Security Great Britain Politics & Government War Soviet Union Russia Espionage Imperialism Thought-Provoking Military Middle East Iran Winston Churchill Government United Kingdom National Security Socialism Royalty American Foreign Policy

Critic reviews

‘Must read stuff. Aldrich and Cormac are inexhaustible researchers, who use a wide range of archives and include striking material from off-the-record informants. ‘The Black Door’ is a vital, authoritative book’ Richard Davenport-Hines, The Times

‘Pioneering book … a major contribution to our understanding of British prime ministers over the last century. This is one of those rare books that deserve to change the way that modern British political history is researched and written’ Christopher Andrew, Literary Review

‘A timely read’ **** Daily Express

‘This book deserves to be taken very seriously. The authors are intimately familiar with the history of the modern intelligence community’ Sunday Times

‘The first close study of relations between nineteen prime ministers and their secret service. Plenty of lively stories and characters’ The Times
All stars
Most relevant
The breadth and insight makes this a compulsive audio book I found very difficult to stop listening to..

Fascinating

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The narrator pronounced the name of Iran's Prime Minister in the 1950s 'Mossadeeegh' as 'Mossadeooou'.

Brilliant apart from pronunciation error

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Well written, informative and fascinating. One of the best books on this topic. recommend

Excellent

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Would you consider the audio edition of The Black Door: Spies, Secret Intelligence and British Prime Ministers to be better than the print version?

The rather disjointed reading style almost spoiled it but the content was so interesting that I persisted and learned a lot.

What didn’t you like about Tom Clegg’s performance?

Send him to America to learn from George Guidall or ask Samuel West to give him some lessons on narration.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Enlightened me about the part of Old Boy Networks in British Politics.

Any additional comments?

Well researched and informative.

Real insight into Establishment working ofUK

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For someone interested in all things to do with foreign policy, espionage and diplomacy this has been very informative and detailed. Really makes you think what are they up to today.

Amazing

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