There was no impropriety in the Profumo affair
| There was no impropriety in the Profumo affair | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "British War Secretary John Profumo told the House of Commons there was "no impropriety whatsoever" in his acquaintance with Christine Keeler." | |
| Domain | Politics & Elections |
| Tactic | Fabrication |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1963 |
| Origin | John Profumo's personal statement to the House of Commons, March 22, 1963 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-01 |
| Further reading: books on Politics & Elections | |
In 1963, rumors spread that John Profumo, Secretary of State for War in Harold Macmillan's Conservative government, had had an affair with Christine Keeler, who had also been involved with a Soviet naval attaché, Yevgeny Ivanov. On March 22, 1963, Profumo told the House of Commons there had been "no impropriety whatsoever" in his acquaintance with her.
Ten weeks later, he admitted he had lied and resigned.
What the evidence shows
- Resignation. Profumo resigned on June 5, 1963, writing that he had misled the House, his colleagues and the public.
- Denning Report. Lord Denning's official inquiry, published in September 1963, found no evidence that national security had been compromised.
- Political fallout. The scandal damaged Macmillan's government. He resigned in October 1963, citing ill health, and the Conservatives lost the 1964 election.
Why it matters
Lying to Parliament, more than the affair itself, ended Profumo's career. The case set a lasting British expectation that ministers who mislead Parliament must resign.
Sources
- UK Parliament, Hansard, House of Commons, personal statement by John Profumo, March 22, 1963.
- Lord Denning, Lord Denning's Report, Cmnd. 2152, September 1963.
- The National Archives (UK), "The Profumo Affair," records collection.