British Undercover Police Surveillance of Unions & Collusion in Blacklisting 1,000 Workers

MIRROR ARTICLE Police 'spying' whistleblower admits to MPs that he infiltrated six trade unions     18:41, 13 March 2015     By Mark Ellis , Steve Doohan The revelation by former Special Demonstration Squad officer Peter Francis has piled further pressure on Home Secretary Theresa May to widen inquiry into undercover policing [ ... ] Pressure: Unions want Home Secretary Theresa May's inquiry into undercover policing to cover a wider remit An undercover cop turned whistleblower has admitted to MPs for the first time that he spied on six unions. The revelation by Peter Francis, a former officer with the Metropolitan Police's controversial Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), has piled pressure on the government to widen the remit of a judge-led public inquiry. Campaigners and union leaders claim the move is the only way to discover the extent of police involvement and collusion in the blacklisting of thousands of construction workers. Home Secretary Theresa May this week ordered an investigation into undercover police work and the SDS over the last 40 years by Appeal Court judge, Lord Justice Pitchford, Speaking at a House of Commons reception, Mr Francis admitted that he spied on the National Union of Students, Unison, the National Union of Teachers, the building workers’ union UCATT, the firefighter’s union FBU and the Communication Workers’ Union. He said it was an opportunity to “unreservedly apologise” to all the union members he spied on and he said the Home Secretary’s investigation must look into blacklisting and police collusion. Blacklisting came to light when in 2009 the Information Commissioner’s Office seized a database of names of 3,213 construction workers and environmental activists. It was held by the now-closed down Consulting Association (TCA) and its files were used by 44 companies to vet new recruits and block trade union and health and safety activists from getting jobs. Mr Francis added: ”Police spying on political activists has destroyed lives and that I, most unfortunately and regrettably, played a part in this.” GMB national officer Justin Bowden said “The decision by Peter Francis to blow the whistle on undercover police spying on five further unions is to be congratulated. “Until all the information about the undercover spying activities of the police is fully in the public domain, and the police held to account for their activities, trust cannot even begin to be restored. “The latest revelations from Peter Francis highlight exactly why it is essential that Lord Justice Pitchford’s inquiry into undercover policing and the operation of the Metropolitan Police’s controversial Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), must also include blacklisting.” http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/police-spying-whistleblower-admits-mps-5329601 Thought this was a pretty cool article because it exposes police interference with groups exercising their political and other basic rights in Britain. Government might play at (a) being distanced and (b) conducting an enquiry, but the police force is under the control of the government and I don't buy for one minute that this is the work of some rogue police unit that's not accountable to those above, all the way to politicians and intelligence personnel. This is just more of the same; only they've got caught. Interesting to see who has been targeted.  It looks like the British authorities go after just about any kind of target - ie the harassment is wide-sweeping. Blacklisting is an added *ugly* factor.  Hope the people affected by this get a nice, big payout. Regardless of the inquiry, don't expect anything to change.