Using Our Intelligence

Annie Machon is a former intelligence officer for MI5, the UK Security Service, who resigned in 1996 to blow the whistle on the spies’ incompetence and crimes with her ex-partner, David Shayler.

As a result she has had to go on the run around Europe, live in exile in France, face arrest and imprisonment, and watch as friends, family and journalists were arrested and sometimes convicted.

Annie is an author, media pundit, journalist, campaigner, and prominent public speaker on a variety of issues: security and intelligence, the war on terror, press and media freedoms, secrecy legislation and government accountability. She talks about what it is like to be a spy, blow the whistle and go on the run. She also uses her insider’s knowledge to look at the current use and abuse of intelligence, which has resulted in the unending “war on terror” and the erosion of our civil rights and traditional freedoms.

Annie read Classics at Cambridge University and then began a career in publishing. In 1991 she was recruited by MI5 where she was posted to their political and counter-terrorism departments.

Website: www.anniemachon.com

Book: Spies, Lies and Whistleblowers: MI5 and the David Shayler Affair. Book Guild Ltd. ISBN-10: 185776952X (2005)

Speaking experience:

As well as having done hundreds of media interviews in the UK and internationally, her speaking experience includes:

• MPs in both the Houses of Parliament and the Scottish Parliament
• Oxford Union Society, 2006
• Rotary Club 2007-8
• Schools 2007-9
• National speaking tour of Canada, 2009
• IT Security Conference, Hamburg 2008
• International Islamic Fair, Malaysia, 2007
• International hackers’ conference, Berlin 2007
• “An Evening With..” at UK theatres, Clive Conway Celebrity Productions, 2005
• William Rodriguez international speaking tours, 2007 -2008
• Introducing US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, 2007, 2009
• National Union of Journalism national conferences
• ETH0 hackers festival 2009
• The Campaign to Make Wars History National Tour, 2008-9
• Huddersfield University Intelligence Studies course, 2006
• Cardiff University Journalism course 2006
• Cafe Diplo – Le Monde Diplomatique, 2005
• Political rallies
• Fringe meetings at political party conferences
• Anti-war rallies
• Foreign student courses
• Trades Union branch meetings
• Investigative journalism courses
• Festivals