The British government will arrange a meeting between a woman who was coercively controlled by an MI5 agent and the security minister, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy announced Tuesday.
The commitment comes after the BBC revealed that a secret inquiry by MI5's internal watchdog concluded the security service knew an abusive agent it defended in court was a misogynist with a violent obsession. The inquiry was prompted by an earlier BBC investigation that alleged MI5 had covered up for the agent, publicly known as 'X', who was a neo-Nazi informant.
Lammy, speaking in the House of Commons, acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and stated he would arrange the meeting for the woman, referred to as Beth.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper had pressed the government on MI5's past defense of the agent, highlighting that the service had supported an individual known to be misogynistic, obsessed with violence, and who used his position to control his girlfriend, including attacking her with a machete. Cooper also stated that MI5 had provided false evidence in court.
The government previously attempted to block the BBC's initial investigation in 2022 and secured legal anonymity for the agent. In 2022, the BBC first reported that the MI5 agent had allegedly used his status to exert coercive control over his girlfriend, including an alleged machete attack, before continuing intelligence work abroad while under investigation.
During court proceedings, the government reportedly sought to discredit Beth and undermine the BBC's case. However, in a recent statement, the government for the first time acknowledged that Beth was abused by agent X, calling the abuse "abhorrent" and extending "sincere sympathies to her."
The prime minister ordered the inquiry into MI5's actions, including the provision of false evidence in court and related cases, with its findings expected shortly.