James Bond boffins behind real life ‘Q Section’ are key to keeping Britain safe says ex MI6 chief

THE real-life boffins behind James Bond’s Q are key to keeping Britain safe from China, the former head of MI6 has warned.

Sir Alex Younger said Britain needed to “get real” about the growing threat posed by Beijing.

The former spy chief said our cutting edge advantage was at risk of being eroded.

The actor John Cleese played Q in the 2002 film Die Another DayCredit: Other20th Century Fox

Bond's gadgets have included rocket launchers, microlights and exploding watches — Bond’s gadgets have included rocket launchers, microlights and exploding watchesCredit: Rex

The government will pledge to raise science and technology to the highest level of national securityCredit: Rex

He told the BBC: “The language that China understands is strength and we need to generate that strength through technological innovation.”

The gadget-weilding Q equips James Bond with an array of weapons ranging from exploding pens to invisible cars and watches with laser cutters, garrottes and explosives.

His character is based on a real section of MI6 which developed gadgets for secret communications and to keep agents safe.

Today communications between secret agents rely on heavily cyber weapons.

Sir Alex, who was known as C when he led the Secret Intelligence Service, added: “We generate strength, most importantly, through sustaining our mastery of key emerging technologies.”

Asked if that meant getting real life Qs to be better at what they do, he replied: “Absolutely. Our security has really derived from our superior rate of technology development, ever since our industrial revolution in the 18th Century.

“That has been the the thing that has given just he prosperity and the national security capability we need.”

The former spook, who led MI6 from 2016 to 2020, warned Britain’s edge was under threat from “an alternative value system”.

“We need to get real about this,” he said.

Desmond Llewelyn, left, played Q in fourteen Bond films from 1963 to 1999Credit: Getty – Contributor

Sir Alex Younger, who was known as 'C', said Britain had to 'get real' abour risk of China — Sir Alex Younger, who was known as ‘C’, said Britain had to ‘get real’ abour risk of ChinaCredit: AFP

Boris Johnson is set to pledge an extra £6.6 billion for research in to cyber and laster gunsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

“Our ability to galvanise our technological capabilities, to regain our technological and scientific advantage is the most fundamental driver not just our security but our children’s security and their children’s security.”

The Sun revealed today that the government plans to invest £6.6 billion in science and technology “to give Britain an enduring military edge in areas including space, directed energy weapons, and advanced high-speed missiles”.

In the biggest shake up of foreign, defence and security policy since the end of the Cold War, Boris Johnson will elevate science and technology to “the highest importance as a component of national security”.

The government plans to make Britain a world-leading cyber power.

Sir Alex said there was no doubt that China represented a “generational threat”.

“The idea that China would become more like us as it got richer or as its economy matured is clearly for the birds,” he said.

“That is not going to happen. On the contrary I expect the Chinese communist party to double down on its ideology in the future. And there’s going to be an ideological divergence between us.”

He said the UK needed to be “less naive” about attempts to steal our technology and wary of investment by Chinese companies.

But in comments likely to upset hardliners in the Conservative party, he said there was no point “declaring a new Cold War” because the UK would have to work with China to solve global crises.

“I don’t think it makes sense to go around declaring a new Cold War,” he said.

“I don’t think that is going to change China in any meaningful way.

“We have got one planet two systems. We are going to have to find, at the highest levels at least, a forms of coexistence that is going to allow us to address global issues like climate change, pandemic disease and antimicrobial resistance.

“We have got to find way of having that conversations globally or those problems just aren’t going to go away.”