The Top 10: MPs alleged to have been spies

Members of the House of Commons whose lives were more interesting than most cloak-and-dagger fiction

John Stonehouse, who tried to fake his own death in 1974 (Getty)

I don’t know why this came up now, but Robert Boston mentioned no 5, of whom I had not heard. Twitter supplied the rest. All I did was put them in chronological order.

1. William Parry, MP for Queenborough, 1584-85. Rewarded with a seat in parliament by Queen Elizabeth I for revealing a Roman Catholic plot to assassinate her, but hanged the following year after confessing (and then withdrawing his confession) to his part in another plot to murder her. Nominated by Sam Freedman.

2. George Lockhart, Tory MP for Midlothian, 1708-15. A Jacobite who opposed the 1707 union of England and Scotland, passing information to the Pretender before the rising of 1715. Thanks to Richard Morris.

3. Tribich Lincoln (Ignaz Trebitsch-Lincoln), Liberal MP for Darlington for 10 months in 1910. Later a German spy. Thanks to David Boothroyd.

4. Tom Driberg, Labour MP for Maldon and later Barking, 1942-74. “Quadruple agent who worked for MI5, KGB, Czechs and himself,” said Sean O’Grady. Also nominated by Gabriel Milland, Michael Crick, Robert Eichel and James Staunton.

5. Ray Mawby, Conservative MP For Totnes, 1955-83. Passed gossip, political manoeuvrings and handwritten plans of the House of Commons to the Czech security services between 1960 and 1971. Thanks to Robert Boston.

6. John Stonehouse, Labour MP for Wednesbury and later Walsall North, 1957-76. Began spying for Czechoslovakia in 1962. Tried to fake his own death to escape financial problems in 1974.

7. Bernard Floud, Labour MP for Acton, 1964-67. Took his life in 1967 after he was interviewed by MI5 before being offered a ministerial post. Nominated by Allan Holloway and Sean O’Grady.

8. Robert Maxwell, Labour MP for Buckingham, 1964-70. Possible triple agent for MI6, the KGB and Mossad.

9. Will Owen, Labour MP for Morpeth. Found not guilty in 1970 of passing information to the Czechs, but probably was. Thanks to Ivor Crewe, Sean O’Grady, Allan Holloway and Mr Memory.

10. Rory Stewart, Conservative MP for Penrith, 2010-19. He denied working for MI6 when he was a diplomat, but admitted he couldn’t legally say otherwise. Nominated by Graham Kirby.

Next week: Things we know but don’t know we know, such as the ability to hear the difference between hot and cold running water.

Coming soon: Indices most people haven’t heard of, after the news that the Baltic Dry Index has fallen.

Your suggestions please, and ideas for future Top 10s, to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk