Lib and Let Die! Ed Davey turned down chance to become real-life 007 because he can't keep a secret

By SHANNON MCGUIGAN, NEWS REPORTER Published: 16:08, 3 June 2026 | Updated: 16:14, 3 June 2026 Ed Davey has revealed he turned down the chance to become a real-life James Bond after MI6 tried to recruit him because he cannot keep a secret. The Liberal Democrat leader said that when he left university, he had hopes of working at John Lewis, but the British intelligence agency had other ideas. The 60-year-old said he was approached and even offered training to become a spy, but declined because even though he 'likes James Bond films' he would be 'a very bad spy'. Joking about being '007 Davey' on the Walking The Dog podcast, he explained how he initially wondered about taking up a role with John Lewis because he 'loved the fact that employees have a say and a voice' at the firm. But after going to their 'milk round', he opted against working at the retailer, which he 'really likes'. Later, Davey said, MI6 approached him while he was studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Jesus College at Oxford in 1988. 'I applied for the Civil Service, and they sent me this letter out of the blue saying there were some positions open in the Civil Service that weren't open to competition and we'd like you to apply.' Explaining how he was 'excited' and a 'bit nervous' due to the unknown nature of the role, he added: 'So I went, and you had to tell them the inside leg measurement of your great aunt with all these sorts of background checks. Ed Davey (pictured bungee jumping in East Sussex in 2024) has revealed he turned down the chance to become a real-life James Bond after MI6 tried to recruit him because he cannot keep a secret Pictured: James Bond (portrayed by Pierce Brosnan's stuntman) in Brosnan's 1995 debut GoldenEye Pictured left: Ed Davey on a jet ski in Brighton on September 14, 2024. Pictured right: Roger Moore on a jet ski in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me Pictured left: Sean Connery in from the 1963 Bond film From Russia with Love. Pictured right: Pictured right: Ed Davey arriving at the annual CBI dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel 'And then I went to an interview. It was just me and this other guy in this big, massive room.' During the first hour of the interview, Davey said he was asked about his life, but soon quickly realised the exchange was anything but normal. 'He said before we go any further, I'd have to sign the Official Secrets Act, so I did,' he said. 'And he said you've probably guessed this is for the secret service, and he told me what we'd do, how I'd learn to be a spy.' The man explained that Davey would have to learn various languages and undergo training, Davey told the podcast. 'There's a joke about 007 Davey, but I don't labour that point, I probably would be a very bad spy,' he said. But it was only one pivotal point that deterred him from being a real-life James Bond - a life of secrecy. 'The thing was, I asked him who I could tell, and he said I'd be a spy, I couldn't tell anybody,' he added. 'I asked if I could tell my girlfriend or my wife, and he said possibly, but there's this whole life of secrecy which wasn't attracting me. 'So yes, I like James Bond films and all that, but I realised it wasn't like that.' He explained that he would have likely been a defence or trade attaché in an embassy to garner various information that was not public to help with foreign policy, the war on drugs, or in relation to terrorism. Instead of a life as a spy, Davey opted to work as a financial analyst before he was eventually elected into the House of Commons as the MP for Kingston and Surbiton. He added: 'So it's a terribly important thing, but I just didn't feel it was for me and I'd just begun to get the political bug as I'd just started working for the Lib Dems.' The MI6 headquarters, which is located near the River Thames in London, has since introduced formal applications as routes into the intelligence service. Ken McCallum, the director-general of MI5, previously stated that no one is chosen for roles as spies anymore, and instead, everyone applies. During the Cold War, St Anthony's College at the University of Oxford became famed as a 'spy college' due to rumours of high levels of recruitment as well as its focus on Russian affairs. Meanwhile, Davey is not the first well-known person to be approached by the British intelligence agency. Jon Snow, a former Channel 4 anchor, was allegedly approached by MI6, while Oscar-winning actor Riz Ahmed alleged the service tried to recruit him three times. In 1979, Nigella Lawson is alleged to have been approached by MI5 after she graduated from Lady Margaret Hall. However, she allegedly turned the offer down after her father warned her to 'steer clear of the intelligence people'. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.