Andrew Parker (MI5 officer)

Sir Andrew David Parker KCB (born 1962) was the Director General of MI5, the Security Service, which is the United Kingdom's domestic security and counter-intelligence agency.

Sir Andrew Parker KCB
Born	1962 (age 57–58)
Nationality	British
Alma mater	University of Cambridge
Occupation	Intelligence officer
Children	2
Espionage activity
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service branch	Security Service
Service years	1983–2020
Rank	Director General

Biography

Parker was educated at Churchill College, Cambridge where he studied natural sciences.[1] He joined the Security Service in 1983.[2] He was seconded to HM Customs and Excise as Director Intelligence in 1999 before becoming Director, International Terrorism at the Security Service in February 2005.[3] After leading the Security Service's response to the 7 July 2005 London bombings and the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot, he became Deputy Director General in 2007.[2]

Parker went on to become Director General of the Service in April 2013. As of 2015, Parker was paid a salary of between £165,000 and £169,999 by the department, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.[4]

In May 2018 Parker said that Russia is seeking to undermine European democracies with "malign activities". Speaking in Berlin, Parker also condemned Russia for the "reckless" poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury. Russia has denied involvement in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Parker also warned Islamic State aspires to commit "devastating" and "more complex" attacks in Europe. Parker said the Kremlin was taking part in "deliberate, targeted, malign activity intended to undermine our free, open and democratic societies".[5]

In 2019 Parker, writing with Cressida Dick, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, suggested that far-right terrorism has been identified as a key threat to the safety and prosperity. They warned that while Islamist terrorism remains the largest by scale, they are also “concerned about the growing threat from other forms of violent extremism … covering a spectrum of hate-driven ideologies, including the extreme right and left.”[6]

Honours

Parker was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2019 Birthday Honours.[7]

References

1. Sengupta, Kim (28 March 2013). "Meet the real-life spymaster: Andrew Parker announced as new director general of MI5". The Independent. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
2. "Andrew Parker named as new head of MI5". BBC News. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
3. "Director General". MI5. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
4. "Senior officials 'high earners' salaries as at 30 September 2015". gov.uk. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
5. "MI5 chief: Russia trying to undermine European democracies". BBC News. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
6. Jacobson, Seth (29 March 2019). "Far-right terrorism threat is growing, say MI5 and police chiefs". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
7. "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B3.

Government offices
Preceded by Sir Jonathan Evans	Director General of MI5 2013–2020	Followed by Ken McCallum