Editing Spycatcher (section)

{{Short description|Memoir by Peter Wright}}
{{about|the 1987 autobiography|the 1952 memoir|Oreste Pinto|other uses|Spyhunter {{!}} the book ''Spyhunter''|Michael Shrimpton#Conspiracy theories}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox book 
| name          = Spycatcher
| title_orig    = 
| translator    = 
| image         = Spycatcher.jpg
| caption = 
| author        = [[Peter Wright (MI5 officer)|Peter Wright]] (with [[Paul Greengrass]])
| illustrator   = 
| cover_artist  = 
| country       = 
| language      = English
| subject       = Espionage
| publisher     = [[Heinemann (book publisher)|Heinemann]] (Australia)
| release_date  = 31 July 1987
| english_release_date =
| media_type    = 
| pages         = 392
| isbn          = 0-670-82055-5
| dewey= 327.1/2/0924 B 19
| oclc= 17234291
| preceded_by   = 
| followed_by   = 
}}

'''''Spycatcher: The Candid Autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer''''' (1987) is a memoir written by [[Peter Wright (MI5 officer)|Peter Wright]], former [[MI5]] officer and assistant director, and co-author [[Paul Greengrass]]. Wright drew on his experiences and research into the history of the British intelligence community. Published first in Australia, the book was banned in England (but not Scotland) due to its allegations about government policy and incidents. These efforts ensured the book's notoriety, and it earned considerable profit for Wright.<ref name="timemagazine">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,965233,00.html |title=How Not to Silence a Spy |access-date=20 January 2008 |last=Zuckerman |first=Laurence |date=17 August 1987 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |publisher=[[Time Warner]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208165347/https://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,965233,00.html |archive-date=2008-02-08}}</ref>

In 2021 and 2023, the [[Cabinet Office]] was still blocking or redacting [[Freedom of Information Act 2000|freedom of information]] requests for files on the ''Spycatcher'' affair despite the rule that [[Thirty-year rule|documents should be released after 30 years]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=UK officials still blocking Peter Wright's 'embarrassing' Spycatcher files |last=Ungoed-Thomas |first=Jon |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 November 2021 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/27/inside-story-of-peter-wrights-spycatcher-blocked-by-cabinet-office-delay-and-deception}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=I've worked for decades to reveal the truth about the 'Wilson plot'. But the cover-up continues |first=Richard |last=Norton-Taylor |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/29/harold-wilson-files-soviet-infiltration-mi5-labour-prime-minister |work=The Guardian |date=29 December 2023}}</ref> Information belonging to the security services is [[Freedom of Information Act 2000#Absolute exemptions|absolutely exempted]] from the Freedom of Information Act.