DECLASSIFIED FILES

This is an expanding collection of declassified government documents on UK foreign policy. It includes: original government documents and transcripts, mainly from the National Archives in London; articles by Mark that analyse these declassified files; and online articles that cover such files. (For the journalism of Declassified UK, which is a different project, visit here)

What do these files and articles reveal?

These files highlight a range of British foreign policies since 1945, notably the UK involvement in coups, wars, covert operations, human rights abuses, arms exports, propaganda operations, and support for repressive regimes. They highlight much of the true nature of the UK’s role in the world, and especially reveal the actual interests and priorities of UK policy-makers – Prime Ministers, Ministers, ambassadors and civil servants. Click on the countries and themes below to view the files and articles.

The public’s right to know

The aim is to eventually build a fully comprehensive and searchable collection of declassified British documents and articles – to make these fully accessible to the public, which has a right to a better knowledge of what has been done, and is being done, in our name. In addition, the project seeks to encourage and support researchers to undertake work online and at the National Archives to publish more documents and articles on the reality of the UK’s role in the world.

Click on the following countries and themes

AFGHANISTAN



AFRICA (General)

ARGENTINA / FALKLANDS



BANGLADESH



BAHRAIN



BELIZE



BOSNIA



CAMBODIA



CENSORSHIP OF DOCUMENTS

CHAGOS ISLANDS



CHILE



CHINA AND HONG KONG



CONGO/DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO



CUBA



CYPRUS



EAST TIMOR / TIMOR LESTE



EGYPT



GIBRALTAR



GREECE



GRENADA



GUATEMALA



GUYANA/BRITISH GUIANA



INDIA



INDONESIA



INTELLIGENCE/G.C.H.Q.

IRAN



IRAQ



ISRAEL / PALESTINE



ITALY

JORDAN



KENYA



KUWAIT (SOON TO BE ADDED)



LEBANON



LIBYA



LITHUANIA (SOON TO BE ADDED)



MALAYA / MALAYSIA



MALAWI (SOON TO BE ADDED)



MALTA (SOON TO BE ADDED)



MAURITIUS

MIDDLE EAST

NEPAL



NICARAGUA

NORTHERN IRELAND (SOON TO BE ADDED)

NIGERIA

NUCLEAR / CHEMICAL

OMAN



PAKISTAN



QATAR

RENDITION AND TORTURE

RUSSIA / U.S.S.R



RWANDA



SAUDI ARABIA



SINGAPORE



SOMALIA



SOUTH AFRICA



SRI LANKA



SYRIA



UGANDA



TURKEY



UK FOREIGN POLICY (GENERAL)

UNITED STATES

VIETNAM



YEMEN



ZIMBABWE / RHODESIA