The former head of MI6 says Donald Trump "needs babysitting", but backed the strength of the Anglo-America relationship as Britain prepares to leave the EU.

Speaking at the Cliveden Literary Festival, Sir Richard Dearlove told Sophy Ridge on Sunday he is "happy" to see the end of Britain's membership to the EU, and doesn't believe it will signal the end of influence in European geopolitics.

"I'm personally happy to see us ceasing to be a member of the EU but I don't think you should see that as leaving Europe, it's leaving the European Treaty, and we would obviously still have a very close relationship with continental Europe," he said.

"We've never been part of continental Europe's political ambitions to create a more federated union, we've always opposed that. I think the EU in its current form - I'm not suggesting it's going to disappear but it radically needs change, and if it's going to have an inner core which is politically motivated we're never, ever going to be an enthusiastic part of that.

"I'm absolutely confident that we can survive and thrive outside a continental alliance but still be a major player in European geopolitics."


The former spy chief, who was the boss of MI6 from 1999-2004, also backed Britain's relationship with America, despite saying its leader is unpredictable.

He said: "[Mr Trump] says extraordinary things, he clearly behaves unpredictably, he clearly - I was going to say he needs babysitting but that sounds a rather insulting way of talking about the president of the United States whoever it is - but on the other hand I think there's a real solidity in the Anglo-America alliance."

Sir Richard dubbed the attempted murder of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury as "incompetent", but said Britain should be careful not to underestimate the GRU, Russia's military intelligence service, even if they have suffered a setback.

Security minister Ben Wallace raises the GRU's incompetence over the Salisbury poisoning

He said: "GRU is a big, powerful well-funded organisation and we shouldn't underestimate the problems they can still cause.

"We're no longer in the Cold War and I don't see the threat that Russia presents now is equivalent to the situation we had during the Cold War.

"However, Soviet espionage has never stopped. It's deeply embedded in Russia's DNA to use the capabilities that it has to disrupt other nations, to pursue their own national interest, to reinforce Putin in power and the attack in the UK fits a historical pattern.

"Russia historically has always used assassination as a weapon. It's part of the Russian political DNA. It's a rather terrible thing to say, but it's a violent country and they tend to kill each other."

Last year, Sir Richard said it would be "dangerous" if Jeremy Corbyn became prime minister.

Speaking to Sky News, he said: "Someone coming from my background is troubled by Jeremy Corbyn's past associations. Some of which I find surprising, and worrying.

"He may have abandoned them now, but I don't think you can entirely dump your past.

"He's enthusiastically associated himself with groups and interests which I would not say were the friends of the British nation."

:: Sir Richard's full interview is on Sophy Ridge on Sunday from 9am.