The Profumo Affair: Dr Stephen Ward's Extraordinary Statement (1963) | Political History

On this day in 1963, Conservative Secretary of State for War John Profumo resigned from his post in disgrace. A member of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government, Profumo was found to have lied to Parliament after he denied having an affair with 21-year-old model Christine Keeler. The minister told a crowded House of Commons on 22 March 1963 that "there was no impropriety whatsoever in my acquaintanceship with Miss Keeler." In truth, the pair had begun an extra-marital affair in July 1961. The affair took on a greater significance when it was reported that Keeler might have at the same time been involved with Soviet naval attache and suspected KGB officer Captain Yevgeny Ivanov, the model having been introduced to both Profumo and Ivanov by high society osteopath Dr Stephen Ward. Suddenly, at the height of the Cold War, the affair grew from a sex scandal into an issue of national security. This statement by Dr Ward was recorded by ITN on 22 March 1963, the same day that Profumo made his misleading statement to the Commons. In it, Ward denies that Profumo and Keeler had an affair, and defends Captain Yevgeny Ivanov against accusations of spying.
The Profumo Affair rocked British political life. It contributed greatly to the resignation of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan later that year and the subsequent election victory of Harold Wilson's Labour Party. It also shaped forever the lives of those at the heart of the scandal, the greatest casualty being Stephen Ward. In July 1963, Ward was convicted on two counts of living off the earnings of the prostitution of Miss Keeler and her friend and fellow model Mandy Rice-Davies, as the two had made contributions to living costs while staying with Ward. Before the trial's verdict was announced, Ward took his own life by overdosing on barbiturates. The trial has since been described as a gross miscarriage of justice, with historian Richard Davenport-Hines arguing Ward became a scapegoat in a trial that served as an act of "revenge" by the political establishment.
#Profumo #ProfumoAffair #StephenWard #HaroldWilson #Scandal #NationalSecurity #ColdWar #KGB #ChristineKeeler #JohnProfumo #Espionage #Spying #1960s #Politics #PoliticalHistory #HaroldMacmillan #TheCrown #MI5
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[@mjc5509]

. STEPHEN is a very good example of a 1963 LONDON GENTLEMAN .This footage takes us back to that time, STEPHEN WARD ,SOPHISTICATED, HANDSOME, he left us 60yrs ago,but his persona and charisma will remain forever ..RIP

[@yerags]

A victim of the time in which he lived. A very sad demise

[@rosadiaz6945]

Wow incredible

[@atekle1382]

can anyone help me understand why the English spoken today sounds very different that the one in the 70's and 80's.

[@medunkt]

What you've heard in this clip is a form of English that was spoken in 1963.

[@AlexDuggan68]

Who killed Stephen Ward, available on Amazon, is an interesting book. It questions if Ward's death was really suicide. It also goes into detail about the people and the events of the time which give greater insight to just how closely the establishment and politics was linked.

[@machiavellian7490]

Oi Oi u got any nuclear ☢️ secrets?

[@dancostello6465]

Was Prince Philip involved? The world should know if Prince Philip cheated on QE2 with these Show Girls.

[@williamlloyd5600]

Doctor Pimp😂