MI6 spy chief to CANCEL retirement over post-Brexit security fears
THE head of MI6 has postponed his retirement to deal with potential post-Brexit chaos, it is reported.
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Alex Younger, 55, was due to retire in November, but must remain in his role for up to two years more as Britain’s intelligence service braces for possible problems following Brexit. There are fears that Britain’s future intelligence and security arrangements with European countries could be hit by the UK's exit from the EU. Security officials are unsure if there would be restrictions on intelligence sharing post-Brexit.
The five-year stint is not set in concrete.
Spy chief Younger - who is known as ‘C’ - has been MI6 head since November, 2014.
He was set to leave after serving his five-year term but could now become the longest-serving MI6 chief since the 1960s if Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt confirm the extension.
Security chiefs said Whitehall officials are discussing extending Mr Younger’s term for 12 to 24 months after Britain leaves the EU.
Sources told the Times it was vital that the heads of the security and intelligence services stay unchanged post-Brexit.
One Whitehall official said: “The five-year stint is not set in concrete."
Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield, professor of contemporary history at Queen Mary University of London and an authority on Whitehall, told The Times: "Alex is regarded as having been successful, he is very good with the troops [his intelligence staff] and has the right touch."
Andrew Parker, Mr Younger's counterpart at MI5 - which deals with domestic threats - has agreed to stay as director-general of the security service until 2020.
It comes after Mrs May’s chief Brexit negotiator was allegedly overheard in a Brussels bar suggesting Britain would not leave the EU without a deal.
Olly Robbins was said to have warned that MPs must vote for Mrs May’s Brexit deal or face a “significant” delay to Brexit.
His alleged remarks were reportedly overheard by an ITV reporter.
Mr Younger joined MI6 in 1991 after serving as a captain in the Scots Guards.
He had served in Europe and the Middle East and as an MI6 station chief in Afghanistan.