Tributes have poured in for Sir Alex Younger, the former head of MI6, who has died aged 62 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.
Younger served as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6, from 2014 to 2020, having first joined the SIS as an intelligence officer in 1991.
Before leading MI6, his roles at the secret service included head of operations and leading its work on counter-terrorism in the three years running up to the 2012 Olympic Games.
He famously said in 2016 that fictional spy James Bond had "created a powerful brand for MI6" but Bond "would have to change his ways if he were to join MI6 now".
Current chief of the Secret Intelligence Service Blaise Metreweli said: "It is with immense sadness that I am sharing the news that former MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger died today after fighting cancer for some time. Alex embodied my service's values of integrity, courage, creativity and respect.
“We remember Alex's deep commitment to public service and the security of the UK. He made a lasting and distinctive contribution to our country and indeed to global security. Today my thoughts and those of the whole of MI6 are with Alex's loved ones."
Sir Richard Moore, who was head of MI6 from 2020 to 2025, said: "I dreaded this news. So sad to get off a long flight and learn that my dear friend Alex Younger had died. Alex was the best of MI6 – high intelligence, low ego, driven – beneath the affable exterior, deeply moral, kind, fun and irreverent. And an ace spy. RIP."
Leading tributes from the government, the prime minister, Keir Starmer, said Younger “led an exemplary life and career” and “will be remembered by the many ministers, colleagues, friends, and family for his utmost dedication to British public life and protecting our nation”.
“My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time,” he added.
And Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, said: “The country owes Sir Alex Younger an enormous debt of gratitude for his lifetime of dedicated service. His outstanding leadership, steadiness and integrity kept us all safe and I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and his friends at this incredibly difficult time.”
Former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill, who was national security adviser and led the the civil service during Younger's last two years as head of MI6, posted on X: “So very sad to have learnt of the untimely death of a great friend and colleague, Sir Alex Younger. We were at St Andrews University together, had parallel careers and retired together in autumn 2020. He was an outstanding national security leader. I will miss him terribly. Love and condolences to Sarah and the family.”
Former prime ministers David Cameron and Theresa May also paid tribute.
Cameron, who was PM for the first few years of Younger's spell as MI6 chief, said: “This terrible news has really knocked me for six. Alex Younger was a truly outstanding head of MI6 during my time as PM and an exemplary public servant. He has been taken from us far too soon. Due to the nature of their work, few fully understand the service and sacrifice made by those working in our intelligence and security services – but be in no doubt, Alex made our country a safer place and we all owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for that.
“I had the privilege to continue working with Alex and to remain good friends after we both left office; I will miss him dreadfully. He was a remarkable man – tremendously knowledgeable and insightful, but also such fantastic company and fun to be with. Kind, thoughtful; a good man in every sense. At a time when our world is more confrontational, volatile and, frankly, dangerous, his expertise and great wisdom will be deeply missed. My thoughts and prayers are with Sarah and his family at this sad time.”
May, who was PM from 2016 to 2019, said she was “deeply saddened” by the death of Younger – “an extraordinary man and dedicated public servant. We worked closely when he was chief of MI6 and remained friends in the years since. The nation owes him a great debt of gratitude. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”