I feel that I and the people under my command tried to use all the traditional methods of recruiting agents which were also used by other intelligence services adopting also means like pressure money sex - but that did not characterize my service.

As a nation we have over the past seven years been rebuilding our intelligence with powerful capabilities that many thought we would no longer need after the Cold War. We have been rebuilding our clandestine service our satellite and other technical collection our analytical depth and expertise.

I mean enormous pressure was brought to bear - Valerie Amos Lady Amos went round Africa with people from our intelligence services trying to press them. I had to make sure that we didn't promise a misuse of aid in a way that would be illegal.

I did my military service from 1989 - 92 and I was never shot at or had to fire on anybody. I was very lucky. I was more involved in intelligence and counter-intelligence.

You can't get closer to the heart of national sovereignty than national security and intelligence services.

The Germans certainly - the intelligence service believed that there were WMD. It turns out that we were all wrong probably in my judgment and that is most disturbing.

The Secret Intelligence Service I knew occupied dusky suites of little rooms opposite St James's Park Tube station in London.

Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service? Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love?

We are all here to be a service to those who can't be a service to themselves. We can give people hope and more reasons for being human.

So we just hope that all of these governors who are grappling will be able to provide the basic services to our citizens and not have to cut things that really are painful.