Industrial spies full#
While the report finds undercover policing did "make a real contribution", it finds the same thing could have been achieved by "less intrusive means".Ĭampaigners will have to wait another three years before the full findings are published, extending over a much longer period, to at least 2010.īut speaking after the first tranche today, 'Jessica' - who was tricked into a sexual relationship - said in a statement that the report revealed that SDS officers had used "racist, offensive and sexist language". Under the Heath government (1970-74) the main concern was industrial unrest, and under Callaghan (1976-79) it was the infiltration of trade unions by the Communist Party of Great Britain and of the Labour Party by Militant Tendency. The principal purpose of infiltrating left-wing and anarchist groups was to control public order. Undercover work 'different to 40 years ago'
However, it finds "the great majority of deployments by the SDS in this period did not satisfy either criterion". In this first phase of the report, mostly covering the 1970s, it suggests three groups fell into this category, two not identified to the public in 'closed' evidence and the other being "(Provisional) Sinn Fein". The report accepts that long-term infiltration of political single-issue groups could be justified "if its purpose was to prevent or investigate serious crime, including terrorist activity", and notes such groups existed during the Cold War era and the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland. Sir John says: "If these issues had been addressed, it is hard to see how any conclusion could legitimately have been reached which would not have resulted in the closure of the SDS (Special Demonstration Squad)." Undercover unit 'would have been shut down' While it is clear the government knew about these operations, what doesn't emerge from the report is who at the highest level knew and signed off the tactics that Sir John says would have led to them being shut down. However, he finds that issues around the methods used were not examined. He says a report in 1976 conducted by senior Met police officers into the operations concluded that the work of undercover officers was of "extreme importance" in helping to police public order functions.
Sir John says: "None of these issues appears to have been addressed by senior officers with the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) or by Home Office officials during this period."
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