Britain's Ministry of Defence has confirmed it stopped keeping records of UFO sightings nearly 20 years ago and has no plans to resume research into unidentified flying objects, after a Scottish UFO investigator pressed the government for greater transparency.
Malcolm Robinson, from Alloa, had written to Keir Starmer asking that information on all UFO reports be released to the public. After the MoD told him it had stopped keeping records, Robinson repeated his plea to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to "follow the lead of your American cousins."
Robinson's letter pointed to the United States government's release of scores of UFO files earlier this summer, which described reported sightings of orbs, discs and fireballs spanning 80 years, some from as recently as last year. He called for the UK to declassify relevant files, reports and footage that can safely be made public, and to establish an independent inquiry into sightings across the UK.
He asked why the British government continues to dismiss calls for greater transparency when the United States is prepared to acknowledge unexplained incursions into its airspace. He said the British people deserve to be informed about matters affecting their airspace and national security.
Robinson told the Mail he was disappointed his calls had fallen on deaf ears after years of campaigning to Westminster leaders. He said that if the official response remains that the government is not interested, he will ask the Scottish Government to get involved.
The 69-year-old said the UK has as much of a UFO mystery as anywhere else in the world and wants answers from the Ministry of Defence. He said the government should join forces with America and accept that some form of vehicles is operating in UK airspace that are not helicopters or aircraft belonging to Britain.
Robinson added that he would not have spent 45 years investigating strange phenomena if he did not honestly believe something real, tangible and off world is happening that demands an explanation.
The Calvine Incident
Scotland became a hotbed for mysterious sightings in the 1990s after one of the most famous UFO images was taken in the hills above the A9 on August 4, 1990. The photograph, taken by a hotel porter out walking with a friend, showed a shape that dwarfed a nearby Harrier jet. According to his brief written account, the object hung in the air for about ten minutes before ascending vertically at high speed and vanishing.
The image later vanished, as did the man who took it, and the incident became regarded as one of the greatest government conspiracies. The Mail reported in 2023 that the MoD had asked for the names of witnesses to remain sealed until 2076, 54 years later than the usual 30-year rule, citing privacy concerns.
The Falkirk Triangle and MoD response
Among other sightings that have captured public imagination is a flood of accounts of mystery objects spotted over central Scotland known as the Falkirk Triangle.
Robinson, who has written several books on the subject, has investigated the paranormal since 1979, when he set up Strange Phenomena Investigations. He now works alongside fellow investigators and authors Willy Devlin and Stephen Bird.
In its response to Robinson's request, the MoD said it was aware the United States had recently disclosed files relating to UAP but does not comment on US security arrangements, including their handling, disclosure or publication of related material. It said it has not produced any new material on the investigation or reporting of UFOs or UAPs and has no plans to establish a dedicated team or resume research in this area. The letter added that defence resources remain focused on activities that directly support national security.
A MoD spokesman said nearly 60,000 pages of previously restricted documentation on UFO reports and correspondence have been declassified and transferred to The National Archives, where they are fully accessible for viewing. Those files were released in 2013 and end in 2009.
