Big Take Weekend Listen: Former UK Spy Chief Was Paid to Steal Secrets, Not Solve Mysteries
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Nov 16, 2025 Richard Moore, the former chief of MI6, shares insights from his nearly 40-year intelligence career. He discusses the dual nature of China as both an opportunity and a threat, and the complexities of modern espionage. Moore reveals his recruiting experience at Oxford and the ethical dilemmas faced by spies. He delves into the psychological impacts of intelligence work, strategies for managing human sources, and MI6's assessment of Putin's ambitions in Ukraine. This conversation offers a rare glimpse into the world of international espionage and its challenges.
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World More Contested Than Recent Memory
- Richard Moore says the international order is unusually contested with many loose ends.
- He warns that fraying relationships between major powers increases sudden dangers and miscalculation.
China Is Opportunity And Threat
- Moore frames China as both an opportunity and a threat because intelligence serves to exploit upsides as well as manage dangers.
- He argues governments must be robust at home to deny espionage and cyber activity against national interests.
Recruited By A Tap On The Shoulder
- Moore describes being recruited by a university 'tap on the shoulder' at Oxford as his entry into intelligence.
- He contrasts that old informal approach with today's broader, modern recruitment methods.
