LETTER TO MODEL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30155, 12 June 1963, Page 15

LETTER TO MODEL

‘Ministers Knew Before Denial’

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

LONDON, June 11.

At least four British Government Ministers knew at the time Mr John Profumo made his House of Commons statement denying impropriety with Miss Christine Keeler that he had written to her a letter beginning “Darling,” the “Daily Express” reported.

Under a massive front - page banner headline, the newspaper said that the •four Ministers and Mr Profumo had discussed this letter in the early hours of March 22, a few hours before Mr Profumo made his Commons statement.

The “Daily Express” said today that this had been learnt last night. The story, which appeared in the final edition of the “Daily Express,” was not reported by any other newspaper. The Ministers who questioned Mr Profuimo about the letter were the joint party chairman (Mr lain Macleod), the Chief Government Whip (Mr Martin Redmayne), the Attorney-General (Sir John Hobson), and another Minister, unidentified, the “Daily Express” said. The newspaper said Mr Profumo had excused the expression “darling” on the ground that it was frequently his mode of addressing women friends.

The Ministers had accepted his word, and a few hours later they had assembled on the Government front bench to hear his personal statement. Beside them sat the Prime Minister. Mr Macmillan, who had known of the earlier exchanges, the newspaper said. Last Sunday, the "Sunday Mirror” published on its front page a picture of a photostat of a letter which the newspaper said had been written by Mr Profumo to Miss Keeler on August 9, 1961. The letter said:

“Darling, “In great haste and because I can get no reply from your phone. Alas something’s blown up tomorrow night and I can’t therefore make it. I’m terribly sorry, especially as I leave the next day for various trips and then a holiday so won’t be able to see you again until some time in September. Blast it. Please take great care of yourself and don't run away.

“Love, J. “I’m writing this ’cos I know your’re off for the day tomorrow and I want you to

know before you go if I still can’t reach you by ’phone.” A top-secret inquiry by the Lord Chancellor (Lord Dilhorne) into security aspects of the Profumo scandal was announced in London yesterday. Lord Dilhorne is expected to hand his report on the affair to Mr Macmillan some time this week.

Mr Macmillan is expected to call a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday or Thursday to discuss the implications of the scandal. Yesterday he received a procession of key Conservative leaders who had held the fort during his holiday.

Mr Macmillan is believed to have given Lord Dilhome the assignment before Mr Profumo confessed about his relationship with Miss Keeler. Since then Lord Dilhorne has interviewed Mr Profumo and other people and has studied a series of documents bearing on the case.

A copy of Lord Diihorne’s report will go to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Wilson), as it was partly on his instigation that the investigation was begun. The investigation started because Mr Wilson thought various rumours about the case were so persistent they required further action.