Jeremy Corbyn has vigorously refuted claims by The Sun that he was targeted by Czechoslovak State Security (the Státní bezpečnost StB). The paper published a file from the Soviet-era archive, and claimed Corbyn was vetted by an agent posing as a diplomat. A spokesman for the Labour leader said Corbyn was unaware that the diplomat was a spy, and Corbyn himself later called the reporting “ridiculous smears”.
Critics of the right-wing media have pointed to previous attempts to link Labour leaders to lurid warnings of “reds under the beds”. And indeed, even without the mischief-making of right-wing tabloids, Soviet-era files reveal a tendency by agents to overstate and exaggerate. Nevertheless, the allegation serves a useful reminder that Members of Parliament can become easy targets for foreign intelligence activity.
Content from our partners
