The head of British intelligence resigns from the rich men's club

London | The head of Britain's intelligence service and the country's most senior civil servant resigned on Wednesday from a luxury London club for men, after their membership in the organization sparked criticism.

These two resignations of the country's top public officials come two days after the newspaper Watchman A list of the most famous members of the Garrick Club, one of the oldest private gentlemen's clubs in London, founded in 1831, has been revealed.

Like other prestigious clubs, the Garrick Club is for men under an ancient rule that still applies and which is regularly denounced as outdated and a symbol of male intimacy in places of power and influence.

Among the members he mentioned WatchmanWho was able for the first time to obtain the complete list of about 1,500 men belonging to this institution, including King Charles III, several ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, senior civil servants, about ten judges, and about 150 lawyers, as As well as artists such as actors Brian Cox (Succession), Benedict Cumberbatch, and Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey).

Therefore, all men, especially white and older men, highlighted everyday life.

The name of the head of MI6, Richard Moore, also appeared on this list.

Information that made people cough internally, according to what was reported in guardianwhile Richard Moore has spoken on several occasions about bringing more diversity within MI6, for which there is still an image of a James Bond-style nest of male spies, not very open to women.

So much so that the head of the Secret Intelligence Service wrote to all employees on Wednesday morning to inform them of his decision to leave the club, after speaking with his female colleagues.

According to the newspaper, he explained in his letter that he wanted to prevent his membership in the Garrick Club from harming the initiatives that had been launched within MI6 to combat the underrepresentation of women within it.

Downing Street Secretary General Simon Case has also decided to leave the club, the PA news agency reported.

Many members of the Garrick Club were martyred Watchman They defended themselves, claiming to have campaigned within the organization for the admission of women. In 2015, the vote on this issue did not achieve a sufficient majority. A new vote must be held in June.