Talk:Vassall Tribunal

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Vassall's Admiralty status in regard to Galbraith.[edit]

It might be helpful to note that Vassall was a junior private secretary in Galbraith's office. It would not be at all out of the way for private secretaries to have personal correspondence with the ministers they work for. I have added a few words, and made a few changes. Seadowns (talk) 14:46, 8 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

From memory, I believe the tribunal criticized the Admiralty, at a comparatively junior level, for posting the unmarried Vassall to Moscow. This was cheaper than sending a married person with spouse and perhaps family. I think there is scope for enlarging the article somewhat. Quite a lot of the press behaved dishonestly at the time. Seadowns (talk) 21:53, 8 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I note that the LGTB Archive article on Vassall states that he was a "SPAD" to Galbraith. This would have meant that he was appointed personally by Galbraith into the job, working as a temporary civil servant. It is totally untrue. He was an ordinary civil servant, of clerical officer rank, who was posted to Galbraith's office to assist the Private Secretary. Indeed, there were no SPADs in those days. They were invented by Harold Wilson in the next government. Also, if he had been one he could not previously have been in Moscow. I record this here because I cannot find a way of getting in touch with the LGTB Archive, to request them to correct the article. Seadowns (talk) 12:08, 1 March 2018 (UTC) I am glad to say that the LGTB Archive has now been amended. I would add that I believe that the story for which journalists were jailed was fabricated, hence no sources could have been revealed. Seadowns (talk) 20:26, 29 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]