Portal:University of Oxford/Selected biography/46

Tom Driberg (1905–1976) was a British journalist and politician. A member of the British Communist Party for more than 20 years, he was first elected to parliament as an Independent, and joined the Labour Party in 1945. He never held any ministerial office, but was a popular and influential figure in left-wing politics for many years. Driberg was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, but left Oxford without a degree. He joined the Daily Express as a reporter, later becoming a columnist, and wrote several books, including biographies of the press baron Lord Beaverbrook and the fugitive British diplomat Guy Burgess. Driberg made no secret of his homosexuality, despite it being a criminal offence in Britain until 1967, and was somehow able to avoid any consequences for his often brazen behaviour. Always in search of bizarre experiences, Driberg befriended at various times the black magic practitioner Aleister Crowley and the Kray twins, along with honoured and respected figures in the worlds of literature and politics. After his death, allegations were published about his role as an MI5 informant, or a KGB agent, or both. The extent and nature of Driberg's involvement with these agencies remains uncertain. (more...)