Recruitment of UK spies no longer restricted to those with British parents

UK intelligence agencies to broaden pool of talent by accepting anyone with British citizenship

The selection criteria for spies are, perhaps unsurprisingly, quite opaque and presumed to be fairly stringent. But there is one thing that will no longer be required of would-be British agents: British parentage.

The UK's three intelligence agencies are seeking to broaden the pool of talent they can recruit from by accepting anyone who has British citizenship - regardless of where their parents are from.