Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced the “historic” appointment of Blaise Metreweli as the first female chief of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6, in the organisation’s 116-year history.

Commonly referred to as ‘C’, the international spy agency’s chief has operational responsibility for MI6 and is the only publicly named member of the organisation, accountable to the Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Metreweli, 47, has been promoted from his current role as Director General, or ‘Q’, responsible for technology and innovation in MI6 and has previously held a director-level role at MI5 — the UK’s domestic security service.