MI5's Secret Surveillance of Aneurin Bevan Uncovered in Newly Released Files

In July 1956, Aneurin Bevan addressed a meeting at Caxton Hall in Westminster, criticizing Britain’s Security Service. He humorously remarked that if it were not for the Official Secrets Act, he could share amusing experiences with MI5, stating, "They were not spying on Hitler, they were spying on me." This statement, which drew laughter from the audience, was later clipped by MI5 and added to his file. The file, recently released by The National Archives, shows that MI5 monitored Bevan from the early 1930s until his death in 1960.

Aneurin "Nye" Bevan, born in 1897 in Tredegar, South Wales, was instrumental in establishing the National Health Service (NHS) on July 5, 1948. He rose through the miners' union to become the Labour MP for Ebbw Vale in 1929 and served as Minister of Health in Clement Attlee’s postwar government. Bevan was known for his powerful oratory and his associations with Communists, which drew the attention of MI5, the UK's domestic security service.

Bevan first appeared in MI5's files in the early 1930s while collaborating with Communist leaders on issues in the South Wales coalfield. The files contain intercepted letters indicating that Bevan was in contact with Communist Party leaders, although he later distanced himself from them. MI5's surveillance intensified during World War II, particularly as Bevan became a vocal critic of Winston Churchill's wartime policies. Reports from police officers documented his speeches, where he lambasted Churchill's military strategies and questioned the Prime Minister's capabilities.

In December 1944, Bevan's remarks at a Labour meeting included a controversial statement where he indicated a preference for Stalin over Churchill, a comment that MI5 noted with concern. The file reveals that Bevan's criticisms of the government were significant enough to prompt inquiries from senior ministers, including Duff Cooper, who sought information on Bevan's activities.

MI5's Growing Concerns About Bevan

The most serious incident recorded in the files occurred in 1949, when MI5 learned of Bevan's connections with Wilfred Macartney, a journalist with a controversial past. MI5's Director General raised concerns about Bevan with Prime Minister Attlee, who dismissed the allegations as unfounded but agreed to caution Bevan about his associations.

Case Closed

Bevan resigned from the government in 1951 over the introduction of charges for NHS services and continued to lead the Labour left throughout the 1950s. His speech at Caxton Hall in 1956 reiterated his stance against MI5, stating he had never been a member of the Communist Party but had associated with them. The files also reveal the negative perceptions some Communists had of Bevan, suggesting he was more interested in personal ambition than in uniting the workers.

The final entries in the MI5 files document Bevan's declining health in early 1960, with reports indicating he was suffering from cancer. Aneurin Bevan passed away on July 6, 1960, at the age of 62. His legacy as the architect of the NHS remains significant, and the MI5 files illustrate the complex relationship between his political career and the surveillance state of his time.