(UK): Ex-undercover officer reveals that covert police unit spied on trade union members
Whistleblower Peter Francis revealed last night that the undercover police unit he worked for gathered intelligence on members of at least five trade unions.
Below is his full statement that was read out by John McDonnell MP at a meeting in Parliament last night. The meeting was held to launch a new book - Blacklisted : the Secret War between Big Business and Union Activists.
“I am humbled as well as honoured to be offered to speak tonight at such an important book launch here at the prestigious House of Commons.
“However I cannot appear here for a number of reasons, including and primarily, because of some very serious outstanding legal issues/difficulties with the Metropolitan police, that continue to hang over me ever since I became a whistleblower and therefore a potential criminal in their eyes...
“In relation to Mark JENNER aka Mark CASSIDY, exposed last week in the media as being a UCATT member...
“An anonymous and unaccountable Scotland Yard spokesperson has obviously re-quoted their usual attempted ‘Get out of Jail Free card’ response...But tonight, here in this supposed home of UK democracy, please let me state very clearly that Mark JENNER was 100% one of my fellow undercover SDS police officers deployed alongside me in the 1990s.
“Jenner, who has now been very publicly exposed, should be forced to appear in person at the public inquiry to account for his spying on, amongst numerous other political protesters, the totally law-abiding construction union UCATT members whose only ‘crimes’ were being union members.
“I would also like take this opportunity to unreservedly apologise to all the union members I personally spied upon and reported back on whilst deployed undercover in the SDS.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/undercover-with-paul-lewis-and-rob-evans/2015/mar/13/ex-undercover-officer-reveals-that-covert-police-unit-spied-on-trade-union-members-full-statement
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/undercover-with-paul-lewis-and-rob-evans/gallery/2013/jun/23/peter-francis-undercover-police-spy-in-pictures
