MI6 chief resigns Garrick membership after criticism

Exclusive: Richard Moore’s decision to quit male-only club understood to follow criticism from intelligence service colleagues

• Members list reveals roll-call of British establishment
• Garrick Club remains a bastion of male elitism
• Legal profession’s most powerful among members

Richard Moore, the head of MI6, has resigned his membership of the Garrick Club after intense criticism of his decision to join a club that has repeatedly blocked the admission of women as members.

The decision by the chief of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service comes two days after the Guardian published for the first time details of the club’s closely guarded membership list, revealing that fellow members include judges, scores of senior lawyers, the head of the civil service, leaders of publicly funded arts institutions and King Charles.