MOD censors its censor's history for being boring

FOR more than 80 years the D-notice committee has helped the Ministry of Defence keep its most sensitive secrets from entering the public eye.

Now it has censored its own official history, not because of its explosive contents, but because it was "turgid" and "agony to read".

The standing committee, which advises the media on when publishing secrets could threaten national security by issuing D-notices, is now involved in an extraordinary row between its past and present secretaries over the 300,000-word book, which was meant to be published this month.

Retired rear-admiral Nick Wilkinson was commissioned to write the book and received clearance for its contents from all of Whitehall's most secretive departments.

But when he sent it to his successor, Air Vice-Marshall Andrew Vallance, he effectively put a D-notice on it, advising that it be withdrawn completely for "reasons of style and structure".

The Air Vice-Marshal told The Times: "It was awfully written. I've read it twice and it was an agony to read.

"It's turgid. One of the sentences in it was 130 words long. It's just poor history."

Rear-Admiral Wilkinson replied: "It would be ungentlemanly for me to say anything about an elderly official in the twilight of his career."