'Scandal' minister Profumo dies aged 91
10th March 2006
Scandal: John Profumo's affair with Christine Keeler eventually led to the downfall of the Conservative government
John Profumo, the former government minister at the centre of the biggest sex scandal of the 20th century, has died at the age of 91 after suffering a stroke.
He died peacefully at about midnight surrounded by his family, a spokesman for London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital said. He had been admitted to hospital two days earlier.
The former Conservative Secretary of State for War was at the centre of the most sensational political scandal of the 20th century when he was forced to resign from the Cabinet for lying to the House of Commons over his affair with call girl Christine Keeler.
His departure in 1963 signalled the downfall of the Conservative government, which lost the general election the following year.
Former Conservative cabinet minister John Profumo will be remembered for his part in the 20th Century's most sensational sex scandal. He is seen here during his last public appearance at a memorial service for Lord Callaghan in 2005.
Following his departure from politics, Profumo dedicated himself to charity work in the East End of London and was awarded the CBE in 1975.
He was shunned for many years by his former colleagues, some of whom blamed him for the Tories' decline in the 1960s.
Macmillan's Cabinet was sent into crisis by Keeler's revelations that she had sex with both Profumo and Commander Eugene Ivanov, a Russian intelligence officer and the Soviet assistant naval attache in London.
Denial to the Commons
In March 1963 Profumo made a statement to MPs denying any "impropriety whatever" in his relationship with Keeler.
He was forced to resign on June 4 1963 after admitting that he had misled the House of Commons.
Profumo was educated at Harrow and Oxford and later married the actress Valerie Hobson.
He entered the Commons in 1940 aged 25, becoming the youngest MP in the House.
Macmillan made him Secretary of State for War in July 1960 with a brief to boost Army recruitment following the end of conscription.
His brief affair with Keeler began after he was introduced to her by artist Stephen Ward at Lord Astor's Cliveden country estate in Berkshire in July 1961.
Rumours about the affair became public in 1963, as did the revelation that Keeler had also had a relationship with Ivanov, the senior naval attache at the Soviet Embassy.
After his claim that there had been "no impropriety whatever", Profumo finally admitted that he had lied to the Government about the affair and tendered his resignation in a letter to the Prime Minister dated June 4 1963.
In September 1963, Lord Denning, the Master of the Rolls, published a report on the affair, concluding that all the rumours were untrue.
A month later, Harold Macmillan resigned, his ill-health exacerbated by the scandal.
Ward was prosecuted for living on immoral earnings and committed suicide. Keeler was found guilty on unrelated perjury charges and sentenced to nine months in prison.
Tribute
Friend Sir Bill Deedes said: "He atoned for his mistakes and I think will, on death, receive his reward for that."
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "The fact is what he did, and continued to do until quite recently, was a very long stint of social work for the poor of east London. And if that isn't considered to be sufficient atonement for the mistake he made then there is no such thing as forgiveness."
Political historian Anthony Howard described Profumo as a "man of charm" but a "lightweight politician".
Mr Howard said "technically" the Profumo affair did not bring down Macmillan because he retired through ill health.
But he added: "It did do tremendous damage, the country went hysterical. People went absolutely crazy. It did enormous damage, that's certainly true.
"But then for 40 years or more Jack Profumo, first of all with his wife, he devoted himself to social work in the East End."
He said Profumo would never talk about the scandal.
"He never wanted to talk about the Profumo affair ever."
dailymail.co.uk
10th March 2006
Scandal: John Profumo's affair with Christine Keeler eventually led to the downfall of the Conservative government
John Profumo, the former government minister at the centre of the biggest sex scandal of the 20th century, has died at the age of 91 after suffering a stroke.
He died peacefully at about midnight surrounded by his family, a spokesman for London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital said. He had been admitted to hospital two days earlier.
The former Conservative Secretary of State for War was at the centre of the most sensational political scandal of the 20th century when he was forced to resign from the Cabinet for lying to the House of Commons over his affair with call girl Christine Keeler.
His departure in 1963 signalled the downfall of the Conservative government, which lost the general election the following year.
Former Conservative cabinet minister John Profumo will be remembered for his part in the 20th Century's most sensational sex scandal. He is seen here during his last public appearance at a memorial service for Lord Callaghan in 2005.
Following his departure from politics, Profumo dedicated himself to charity work in the East End of London and was awarded the CBE in 1975.
He was shunned for many years by his former colleagues, some of whom blamed him for the Tories' decline in the 1960s.
Macmillan's Cabinet was sent into crisis by Keeler's revelations that she had sex with both Profumo and Commander Eugene Ivanov, a Russian intelligence officer and the Soviet assistant naval attache in London.
Denial to the Commons
In March 1963 Profumo made a statement to MPs denying any "impropriety whatever" in his relationship with Keeler.
He was forced to resign on June 4 1963 after admitting that he had misled the House of Commons.
Profumo was educated at Harrow and Oxford and later married the actress Valerie Hobson.
He entered the Commons in 1940 aged 25, becoming the youngest MP in the House.
Macmillan made him Secretary of State for War in July 1960 with a brief to boost Army recruitment following the end of conscription.
His brief affair with Keeler began after he was introduced to her by artist Stephen Ward at Lord Astor's Cliveden country estate in Berkshire in July 1961.
Rumours about the affair became public in 1963, as did the revelation that Keeler had also had a relationship with Ivanov, the senior naval attache at the Soviet Embassy.
After his claim that there had been "no impropriety whatever", Profumo finally admitted that he had lied to the Government about the affair and tendered his resignation in a letter to the Prime Minister dated June 4 1963.
In September 1963, Lord Denning, the Master of the Rolls, published a report on the affair, concluding that all the rumours were untrue.
A month later, Harold Macmillan resigned, his ill-health exacerbated by the scandal.
Ward was prosecuted for living on immoral earnings and committed suicide. Keeler was found guilty on unrelated perjury charges and sentenced to nine months in prison.
Tribute
Friend Sir Bill Deedes said: "He atoned for his mistakes and I think will, on death, receive his reward for that."
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "The fact is what he did, and continued to do until quite recently, was a very long stint of social work for the poor of east London. And if that isn't considered to be sufficient atonement for the mistake he made then there is no such thing as forgiveness."
Political historian Anthony Howard described Profumo as a "man of charm" but a "lightweight politician".
Mr Howard said "technically" the Profumo affair did not bring down Macmillan because he retired through ill health.
But he added: "It did do tremendous damage, the country went hysterical. People went absolutely crazy. It did enormous damage, that's certainly true.
"But then for 40 years or more Jack Profumo, first of all with his wife, he devoted himself to social work in the East End."
He said Profumo would never talk about the scandal.
"He never wanted to talk about the Profumo affair ever."
dailymail.co.uk