MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore was forced to defend the intelligence agency after being accused of “going woke”.
Moore, 60, who serves as Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, instead claimed MI6 “doesn’t do culture wars”.
The top civil servant faced tough questions about MI6’s stance on social issues after he added “he/him” pronouns to his Twitter bio.
Moore said: “I can say to you comprehensively that MI6 doesn’t do culture wars.
A Secret Intelligence Service sign at the entrance to Buchanan Theatre
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“But what I do want is for my service to better represent the country we serve.
“That’s a noble aim, in my view, but it’s also an intensely practical aim.
“Diversity brings greater creativity, better problem-solving.”
Speaking in an interview with POLITICO in Prague, he added: “And if you add the rather obvious point that if you have officers of ethnic minority, they might just give you some cultural insight that you might otherwise lack, as well as perhaps not looking like me on the streets of some other parts of the world.”
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A general view of the Secret Intelligence Service building, headquarters of MI6 at Vauxhall
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Moore came under fire in February 2022 after uploading a tweet just hours after Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine.
He said: “With the tragedy and destruction unfolding so distressingly in Ukraine, we should remember the values and hard won freedoms that distinguish us from Putin, none more than LGBT+ rights. So let’s resume our series of tweets to mark LGBT History Month 2022.”
However, Moore’s appearance in the Czech capital also saw him extend an olive branch to disgruntled Russians to side with the West against Moscow.
He said: “There are many Russians today who are silently appalled by the sight of their armed forces pulverising Ukrainian cities, expelling innocent families from their homes, and kidnapping thousands of children.
A general view of the MI6 building in central London
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“They are watching in horror as their soldiers ravage a kindred country.
“They know in their hearts that Putin’s case for attacking a fellow Slavic nation is fraudulent, a miasma of lies and fantasy.”
Moore added: “I invite them to do what others have already done this past 18 months and join hands with us. Our door is always open.
“We will handle their offers of help with the discretion and professionalism for which my service is famed.
“Their secrets will always be safe with us, and together we will work to bring the bloodshed to an end.”
