Dame Stella Rimington reflects on Trump, MI5 and Warwick’s intelligence research
John Major was perfect because he just used to close his eyes, lean back in his chair and say 'Oh well, Stella. Do your best'. Following a distinguished career in British intelligence, culminating in 1992 with her appointment as the first female Director General of MI5, and now as a best-selling novelist Dame Stella Rimington has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Warwick in recognition of her service and the university's leading role in the study of intelligence agencies. Reflecting on the award Dame Stella said that the ceremony made her "feel part of the younger generation and sharing, just for a moment, in the beginning of something as they leave here and start their careers". Receiving her Honorary Doctorate the afternoon of Donald Trump's inauguration as the 45th President of the United States, Dame Stella spoke of what it is like to brief a world leader on terrorist threats and, joking that it "depends on the prime minister, quite frankly!" "John Major was, I think, the perfect prime minister because I used to have to go and say 'Prime Minister, there is an IRA lorry bomb coming in. We know that it's coming in, we don't know when it's coming in, where it's coming in or what the target is but I thought you should know'. He was perfect because he just used to close his eyes, lean back in his chair and say 'Oh well, Stella.
