Paper ChasePaperback, 15 November 2007

The four old spies are long past their glory days, and now meet up mostly at the funerals of former colleagues, after which they typically enjoy an hour or two of complaining about the relaxation of standards at Britain's security services. The latest indignity: The Director has recently sent round a most discourteous directive that the four are under no circumstances to consider writing their memoirs. Well, they are not to be ordered about like some band of errand-boys! They served their country with honor, and the country has the right to know it. In fact, if you think about it, publishing their memoirs is a patriotic duty. Unfortunately, the Director doesn't see it quite that way.