Colin Wallace affair sets alarm bells ringing

Colin Wallace affair sets alarm bells ringing
2 February 1990
Financial Times

The controversy surrounding Colin Wallace which this week has entangled prominent politicians in Labour, Conservative and Unionists parties, goes back more than two decades.

In 1968, as Northern Ireland's 'troubles' were beginning to erupt, Mr Wallace was appointed an information officer for the Army in Northern Ireland. He was a civil servant with an equivalent Army rank of major.

The Army's Information Department in Northern Ireland was re-organised to provide an effective propaganda tool.

The Government has admitted that a job proposal, almost certainly drafted with Mr Wallace in mind, straddled the grey area between supplying official information cleared for release to the public and the deliberate leaking of stories as part of a propaganda war.

At the centre of Mr Wallace's allegations was the 'Clockwork Orange' project. Its aim was to spread information about the Provisional IRA's organisation and activities.

Mr Wallace claims that 'Clockwork Orange' was extended to cover Protestant organisations and individuals who were blocking government attempts to break the political deadlock in the province.

It has been alleged that the MoD smears may have extended to include Edward Heath, the Conservative Prime Minister until 1974 and Harold Wilson, his Labour successor.

Mr Wallace also alleges the security forces knew about homosexual abuse at the Kincora Boys' home in Belfast encouraging speculation that they use intelligence information to discredit or blackmail prominent loyalists.

The circumstances surrounding Mr Wallace's dismissal have led to allegations that he was driven out of the Civil Service because he threatened to reveal the extent of the security forces' activities.

One puzzling aspect of the controversy is why the Government should suddenly seek to set the record straight, 15 years after the events took place. The official line appears to be that documents were discovered during a routine review by civil servants at the MoD and were brought to the attention of ministers who are not allowed to see the files of previous administrations.