Cuckfield Literary Festival: Alex Grant

In September 1962, John Vassall, a clerk at the Admiralty in London, was exposed as a Soviet spy, having been blackmailed into handing over British defence secrets for seven years. Sex, Spies and Scandal covers this dramatic story, featuring a honey trap, espionage, jailed journalists, and a tabloid witch-hunt that nearly toppled Harold Macmillan’s government.

Tate’s To Catch a Spy uncovers the British government’s attempts to silence whistleblower Peter Wright and hide truths about Britain’s intelligence services. This conversation promises to delve into espionage, government cover-ups, and political scandals.

Alex Grant, a freelance writer and lecturer, and Tim Tate, a multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist, will discuss their works with Andrew Lownie.