BRITAIN'S then prime minister Clement Attlee, the chiefs of MI6 security service and Buckingham Palace aides all conspired to cover up one of the last scandals of the British Empire involving the theft of charity funds by one of its Governors posted in India, papers in the UK's National Archives have revealed.
Sir Arthur Hope, who served as the Governor of Madras Presidency between 1940 and 1946, had been entrusted with donations to the Indian Red Cross.
But in 1944, the British establishment became aware of his mounting gambling debts which led him to also misappropriate the funds intended for the charity, The Times reported.
Hope reportedly had a passion for race-horses and tended to lose a lot of money on them, which led him to divert charitable funds to deal with mounting debt liabilities. The money he was thought to have siphoned off to settle his debts added up to 40,000 pound at the time.
According to the correspondence documents unearthed in the archives, when word reached Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India at the time, that some of Hope's creditors in India wanted their money back, the British decided that the governor must be quietly removed from office.
"Hope's health, which has been indifferent for some time, affords reasonable cover," the Viceroy suggested.
A doctor's note was produced claiming that Sir Arthur, who was then 48, had "tropical neurasthenia", a diagnosis commonly given to white Europeans who disliked the colonial climate and wanted to go home.
King George VI was also briefed of his plan because the monarch's approval was required for a change in governor.
However, it was feared if he stepped down while he was still in India, he could be sued and arrested over of his debts before he could board a ship for England.
"I feel it would be wise to get him out of the country before he actually resigns," Sir Patrick Spens, Lord Chief Justice of India, advised the Viceroy in a letter.
Hope eventually sailed back to England and the cover up proved successful as years later his obituary in The Times read: "He was compelled by ill-health to resign before his extended term of office was complete."
The UK government of the day was unable to sue him without exposing "the delinquencies of the King's representative", noted Sir David Monteath, the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma.
In 1947, the year India gained its independence, then British prime minister Attlee approved a donation to the Indian Red Cross using British taxpayers' money in such a way that people would be unaware it came from the government in London.
It was agreed that paying 3,750 pound that had been missed by the charity would prevent Indians becoming suspicious about the rest of the money Hope had misappropriated.
MI6 was also reportedly kept informed of this arrangement, which will go down in history as one of the last major scandals of the British Raj.
(PTI)
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)