Duncan Campbell, Secret Society, Secret Cabinet Committees (1987)

This is from Duncan Campbell's award-winning and explosive BBC video documentary series 'Secret Society' (1987). This episode about secret cabinet committees features author Peter Hennessy, Clive Ponting and Clement Freud MP amongst others. In this freedom of information tour de force Campbell exposes the secret decision to buy U.S. Trident nuclear submarines as well as laying bare the cabinet level dirty tricks campaign against CND and its general secretary Bruce Kent. Margaret Thatcher, James Callaghan, the British Atlantic Committee, The ultra-right Coalition for Peace Through Security and the cabinet secretary come in for sharp criticism for keeping key decisions secret from Secretaries of State as well as MP's. His support for this series was one of the key reasons BBC Director General, Alasdair Milne (who was replaced by Michael Checkland, an accountant) was sacked. This Journalistic Coup d'Etat was conducted by Lord Victor Rothschild, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Marmaduke Hussey in 1986. The BBC's independence has been under sustained assault ever since. Secret Society was suppressed from high above since it was simply too controversial as it openly exposed various secret groups operating invisibly inside British government. They made damn sure noone would ever discover them but they were very wrong. Find out who they are and what are they doing without your knowledge. Duration 30 minutes, producer Brian Barr