It will come as little surprise to anyone that George Orwell, one of Tribune’s most famous writers, was subject to MI5 surveillance for more than 20 years. Nor that the intelligence service was unsure what to make of his views.But the documents released today by National Archives today cast fascinating light on the evidence used by the security services in assessing whether and how much of a risk Orwell posed with his supposed sympathy to the Communist cause.
Compiling the case against Orwell, who wrote a regular column for Tribune from December 1943 to March 1947, one police sergeant noted that he had attended Communist meetings, and added damningly: “He dresses in a bohemian fashion both at his office and in his leisure hours.”
After questioning the policeman at length, an intelligence service operative concluded that Orwell, referred to in the official documents by his real name, Eric Blair, was certainly not affiliated to the Communist Party.
His report added: “"It is evident from his recent writings - The Lion and the Unicorn - and his contribution to Gollancz's symposium The Betrayal Of The Left that he does not hold with the Communist Party nor they with him."
Despite all this, MI5 remained suspicious. Orwell had helped out at left-wing bookshop in Hampsead during the 1930s, offered to write for a forerunner of the Communist paper, the Daily Worker, and had signed a peace manifesto in 1938.
The file released today consists of reports of Orwell´s activities between 1929 and his death in 1950. It gives some insight into Orwell's financial position while in Paris and includes a 1929 MI6 report to the Special Branch on his activities there, and various subsequent Special Branch reports.One of these by police Sergeant Ewing, from January 1942 (serial 7a), asserts that: "This man has advanced Communist views, and several of his Indian friends say that they have often seen him at Communist meetings. He dresses in a bohemian fashion both at his office and in his leisure hours."
It is of some interest to note the part Orwell´s answers to a published Left magazine survey had in convincing the Service that Orwell should not be considered a Communist. The file includes a copy of Orwell´s passport papers and original passport photographs.
Further reading
Download the National Archive documents on George Orwell
Orwell in Tribune by Michael Foot and Paul Anderson
Two former Tribune editors bring Orwell’s Tribune writings to a wider audienceGeorge Orwell’s “As I Please” columns
News reports
The Guardian: Odd clothes and unorthodox views - why MI5 spied on Orwell for a decade
BBC: MI5 confused by Orwell’s politics
Daily Telegraph: Big Brother was watching George Orwell
The Times: Big Brother was watching Orwell for his dress style
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