§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIn a supplementary question on the disappearance of Burgess and Maclean, on 25th October, I asked the Prime Minister whether he had made up his mind to cover up
… the dubious third man activities of Mr. Harold Philby … "—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 25th October, 1955; Vol. 545, c. 29.]some-time First Secretary at the Washington Embassy. During my speech in last Monday's debate I said that after considering my note of what the Foreign Secretary had said I could not depart from the terms of my supplementary question on 25th October.I have since considered carefully the full report of Monday's debate and, in particular, the speech of the Foreign Secretary. I have also read the statement issued to the Press by Mr. Philby, in which, according to The Times newspaper report of it, he refers to his personal friendship for Burgess and says that he regards his resignation from the Foreign Office as a direct result of an imprudent association.
As a consequence of that further examination, I am satisfied that there is no justification for the allegation that Mr. Philby is the person who warned Burgess and Maclean, or that he engaged in dubious, third man activities. In such circumstances, I consider it proper, and regard it as my duty, to withdraw unreservedly the charge implied in my supplementary question and in my remarks during the debate last Monday, and, accordingly, I have asked permission to make this statement to the House, so that it may appear in the OFFICIAL REPORT of the proceedings of this House, and in order to say how deeply I regret that the charge was made.