Peter Rhodes on espionage, army training and the new religion of Net Zero
Spying is a serious crime which is why, during the Second World War, spies were routinely executed by firing squad. Today it is alleged that someone in Whitehall has been spying for China and undermining the very foundations of our democracy. So why is he on bail?
Still on alleged espionage, in the days between Daniel Khalife escaping from Wandsworth and being caught just down the road riding a bike, there was a concerted effort to big him up into some sort of super-spy. You can see why. If someone breaks out of your prison, it looks better for you if the runaway is a master of espionage, trained in SAS-style arts of escape and evasion.
Assorted experts assured us that Khalife's razor-sharp military training would give him the edge in this manhunt. As it happens, I once had much the same training as Khalife: basic training at a depot followed by trade training at the army's School of Signals. They taught us to shoot straight, operate radios, keep our boots clean and do as we were told. As far as I recall, we were never shown how to strap ourselves underneath food lorries.
