New spymaster is a Deadhead

An obsession with secrecy might be considered paramount in a spymaster, but Britain's new chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, Alex Allan, responsible for assessing reports from MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, has a personal website that lists his interests - complete with photographs - for the whole world to see. Allan, 56, whose appointment was announced yesterday by the PM, is currently the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, according to his online CV. His favourite group is the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia's peace-and-love-extolling hippy band, who he first saw "in the mud at Bickershawe in 1972 and was so knocked out I've been a Deadhead ever since".
His other interests include cycling, bridge, computers and sailing. As the man in charge of the body that became famously embroiled in the Iraq 'dodgy dossier' scandal, the Prime Minister will be happy to know that Allan has an eye for a publicity stunt; during a rail strike in the 1980s, he was photographed windsurfing to work up the Thames in a pin-stripe suit and bowler hat. Allan was principal private secretary to John Major and Tony Blair, who first recognised his computing talents and made him his government's 'e-envoy'.
Allen takes over at the JIC from Sir Richard Mottram, himself a colourful figure best known in the corridors of power for the quote "We're all completely fucked". This comes not from his period at the JIC but from the time he was permanent secretary at the Department of Transport.
On the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Jo Moore, an aide to Stephen Byers, then secretary of state, told officials in an email that it would be "a very good day" to "get out anything we want to bury". It was a controversy that went from bad to worse. Finally, after a confusing statement to the House of Commons from Byers, Sir Richard is said to have told a colleague: "We're all fucked. I'm fucked. You're fucked. The whole department's fucked. It's been the biggest cock-up ever and we're all completely fucked." ·