Afternoon session of Day 2 closing statements for Tranche 1 (1968-1982) of the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Features powerful submissions from Category H core participants (women deceived into relationships), individual victim statements from Madeleine and Diane Langford, and activist Dave Morris. Arguments focus on institutional misogyny, unlawfulness of deployments, and demands for full disclosure.
00:09:48 Miss Gilroy I think you're on screen now and we both are um you have um submissions to make on behalf of category H and then two individual goal participants my understanding is that you would like to make and finish the category H
00:10:02 make and finish the category H submission and then have a short break that's right thank you very much sir do please begin so the category H core participants include 25 women who were deceived by undercover police officers
00:10:22 deceived by undercover police officers into intimate sexual relationships over a 50-year period between 1968 and 2010 and a child of one of those relationships in trash one that is the period between 1968 and 1982 the evidence strongly suggests that at least 11 women were
00:10:39 suggests that at least 11 women were deceived into sexual Relationships by SDSU undercover offices or ucos and probably more eight of those women were deceived intersex by two ucos Richard Clark and Vincent Harvey it's already clear that once the
00:10:51 it's already clear that once the practice of uco's entering into sexual relationships to gather intelligence on public disorder began it did not stop the practice spread and solidified with uco's adopting Common tactics for
00:11:07 uco's adopting Common tactics for entering into maintaining and extracting themselves from relationships relationships got longer and became more
00:11:19 relationships got longer and became more intense some ucos even fathered children the MPS the Metropolitan Police Service now accept that the use of sexual Relationships by ucos was wrong abusive and should not have occurred but the evidence shows that there was widespread knowledge within the SDS of the risk of
00:11:34 knowledge within the SDS of the risk of sexual relationships and that they were occurring
00:11:35 occurring the lack of any effective measures together with the Persistence of the practice for almost 50 years demonstrates that the use of sexual
00:11:47 demonstrates that the use of sexual relationships to gather intelligence was at least tolerated sir the fact that police invasions of the most fundamental right a person
00:11:58 the most fundamental right a person possesses their bodily autonomy occurred so extensively and for so long uncorrected also exposes deep flaws in the application and implementation of the laws governing police conduct
00:12:09 the laws governing police conduct neither the common law nor the UK's International obligations nor the Human Rights Act the HRA nor the introduction of the regulation of investigatory
00:12:22 of the regulation of investigatory Powers Act 2000 Reaper prevented the category hcps from being abused by MPS officers
00:12:31 officers the long-term MPS tolerance of this deeply abusive practice together with the fact that the legal framework did not prevent it raises in my submission
00:12:42 not prevent it raises in my submission two important systemic issues for this inquiry the first question is why did no
00:12:53 inquiry the first question is why did no one in the MPS take any steps for almost 50 years to stop a practice which so many knew about and which the MPS now accepts is abusive and wrong and the second question is why didn't the law protect the category hcps
00:13:07 protect the category hcps at the close of trash one having considered all the evidence and the applicable law the category hcp's position on these two critical questions is as follows
00:13:21 is as follows the reason why no one took any steps to stop ucos from using sexual relationships with women was because the
00:13:33 relationships with women was because the MPS was a deeply misogynist organization that is clear both from the evidence of officers in this inquiry and from a report commissioned by the Metropolitan Police Service commissioner sir David McNee towards the end of the trash one
00:13:47 McNee towards the end of the trash one period by the policy Studies Institute entitled police in action that 1983 PSI report which was sent to the then Home Secretary Leon Britain as
00:13:58 the then Home Secretary Leon Britain as well as to the MPS commissioner himself concluded that the MPS was dominated by what the PSI report called a cult of masculinity
00:14:14 masculinity the report shows that police officers in the MPS viewed female members of the public with contempt they saw them as sexual objects to be joked about and derided they boasted and fantasized about having sex sometimes violent sex with women including
00:14:29 violent sex with women including vulnerable women underage girls and victims of crime the evidence in this inquiry shows that the SDS officers deeply disrespected female members of groups engaged in gross and offensive banter about them
00:14:47 gross and offensive banter about them and paid no regard to the impact on them or their lives of undercover officers conduct
00:14:49 conduct sexual relationships were seen as carrying risks to a uco's private and family life but were otherwise regarded with jocularity and hilarity
00:15:02 with jocularity and hilarity they were considered as an inevitable consequence of UCO operations which could be tolerated so long as they did not compromise the security of the SDS
00:15:16 not compromise the security of the SDS as for the law it's the category hcp's position that it was not itself deficient
00:15:23 deficient the reason it did not protect women was because the MPS did not consider it necessary to follow it had the applicable law been followed it would have protected female members of the public from the abuses inflicted
00:15:35 the public from the abuses inflicted upon them because none of the ucos would ever have been sent on long-term deep undercover deployments which carried an inherent risk of sexual relationships the sds's long-term deployments
00:15:49 the sds's long-term deployments necessarily involve talks such as trespass to land and breach of confidence and were deeply intrusive of private lives
00:15:54 lives but there was no imminent risk of serious crime or any other pressing necessity
00:16:02 necessity that meant the deployments could not be justified they were unlawful both at common law and under human rights law at all material times including in the trash one era
00:16:15 trash one era the problem was therefore not the law itself the problem was that the MPS including its most senior officers and Commissioners did not consider it
00:16:29 Commissioners did not consider it necessary or desirable to comply with it contemporaneous materials including biographies authored by MPS Commissioners and the police and action report I've just referred to together with the evidence in this inquiry make clear that this attitude to the law was
00:16:45 clear that this attitude to the law was pervasive throughout the MPS at the time common law rules were create were treated as an impediment to policing which it was only necessary to comply
00:16:58 which it was only necessary to comply with to avoid civil actions for trespass or to ensure that criminal criminal prosecutions did not fail human rights law was not considered at all
00:17:12 all since SDS work was treated as top secret the MPS never expected to face civil actions or to give evidence in a criminal court in those circumstances they did not even think about whether what they were doing was lawful
00:17:26 what they were doing was lawful in other words the abuse of the category hcps in the T1 period and Beyond is deeply rooted in two pervasive features of police culture
00:17:37 of police culture contempt for women and disregard for the law
00:17:38 law the category hcps submit that these problems are so endemic and so dangerous to Public Safety and the public interest that route and Branch reform of the
00:17:52 that route and Branch reform of the police will be needed to eradicate it changes to the legal framework alone will not be sufficient to protect the public
00:18:04 so the closing submissions of the three separate police participants in this inquiry that is first the MPS commissioner Mark Rowley second the National Police Chief's Council headed by Chief Constable Martin Hewitt
00:18:15 by Chief Constable Martin Hewitt representing the interests of all Chief constables and thirdly the designated lawyer's submissions on behalf of over a hundred SDS officers confirm precisely that disregard for the law
00:18:29 that disregard for the law all these State participants have asked this inquiry not to address the lawfulness of the actions of the SDS they say this question of lawfulness can and should only be considered if and
00:18:41 and should only be considered if and when a civil action is brought against them by a member of the public they say this is the effect of section 2 of the inquiries act which prohibits the inquiry from ruling on any person's civil or criminal liability
00:18:55 civil or criminal liability the police's arguments about section 2 of the inquiries act are wrong for the reasons set out in Council to the inquiry's submissions on that section and on the law at paragraphs 2 to 21 and
00:19:12 and on the law at paragraphs 2 to 21 and 78 to 80. as he explains by reference to the approach taken to other inquiries and inquests an assessment of legality is not a ruling on individual liability
00:19:23 is not a ruling on individual liability even where conduct is unlawful this may not lead to a finding of liability legality and liability are two distinct Concepts
00:19:36 Concepts an assessment of lawfulness will often be required in order to discharge and inquiry's functions that in my submission is certainly true of this inquiry it not only can but must assess the lawfulness of the sds's operations in the transform period it
00:19:51 operations in the transform period it must do so because otherwise it cannot discharge its terms of reference it cannot properly assess whether the SDS or the npoiu's operations were Justified whether the legal and
00:20:02 Justified whether the legal and Regulatory framework was adequate what the impact of the public was well sorry what the impact on the public was including the impact on their rights or
00:20:15 including the impact on their rights or what recommendations for change would be required unless it reaches a view on whether those operations reached the basic minimum standard of lawfulness and if not why not
00:20:30 if not why not so the police's arguments to the country do not make sense listed throughout their submissions is the argument that save for the use of
00:20:42 is the argument that save for the use of sexual relationships the operations were Justified according to what they call the standards of the day but the standards of the day include the legal standards the inquiry cannot assess the police's submission unless it has determined what those legal
00:20:54 has determined what those legal standards were and whether they were complied with but the significance of the police submissions as I've already indicated is far greater than just that they are wrong in law an assessment of legality is what the
00:21:06 an assessment of legality is what the MPS and the home office should have done in the advice in advance of any UCO from the SDS setting foot in anyone's
00:21:20 the SDS setting foot in anyone's premises invading anyone's private life and taking anyone's confidential information it is the first duty of any Public Authority in a society governed by the rule of law to assess in advance of
00:21:31 rule of law to assess in advance of their actions whether the way in which they propose to use their powers is lawful and to refrain from that action if the assessment is that the proposed use would be unlawful
00:21:46 use would be unlawful that is especially so when the powers they intend to use are coercive and covert
00:21:51 covert there is no evidence that the MPS ever discharged this basic duty of every Public Authority and having failed the public so profoundly they now suggest this exercise should never be done even
00:22:06 this exercise should never be done even by the public inquiry set up by the Home Secretary to examine what has gone so badly wrong that is an untenable stance it is also deeply concerning compliance with the rule of law should be deeply embedded in the police psyche all the laws of the
00:22:29 the police psyche all the laws of the land should be what the PSI report calls working rules and every effort ought to be made to ensure compliance with them whether claims come to court or not this is so far from the reality of police conduct and culture that the MPS commissioner the npcc together with the other Chief cons 42 Chief constables
00:22:40 other Chief cons 42 Chief constables don't even want to know what the law permits in terms of undercover policing let alone commit to comply with it
00:22:51 let alone commit to comply with it I want to make a few other short points about the police's late submissions on the law before I come to the remainder of my closing ten months ago the category hcps addressed the Contemporary legal
00:23:03 addressed the Contemporary legal framework for police operations in trash one
00:23:06 one I want to make clear at the outset that there was nothing remotely novel or controversial about the law which we set out there
00:23:13 out there the common law principles and their application to the police have been clear for centuries they were clear even before antic and Carrington over 250 years ago
00:23:24 years ago those English common law authorities have always provided muscular protection to people's homes and private
00:23:35 to people's homes and private possessions their confidential papers and Views especially from the police that powerful protection for the home is how the common law ensures privacy and respect for family
00:23:48 respect for family the mechanism is different to article 8 of the European convention on human rights but the protection is equivalent
00:24:03 rights but the protection is equivalent sir this is all so well established that the words of Chief Justice Edward cook in 1644 in samane's case which was a case concerning Sheriff seeking to execute a civil right inside a person's home have even entered the vernacular
00:24:15 home have even entered the vernacular his words with some modification Through the Ages have become an englishman's home is his castle that ringing phrase is the foundation of modern concepts of privacy and
00:24:28 modern concepts of privacy and protection against an overweening state that is why the category hcps have stated that all sources of law speak with one voice on The Following three principles
00:24:42 principles first no General authorization may be given to the police or the security service to search individuals or property for evidence of wrongdoing second police powers to trespass on land
00:24:56 second police powers to trespass on land property and the person and to interfere with private and personal lives will only be lawful where necessary and proportionate to meet oppressing social need such as prevention or investigation of serious crime or an imminent breach of the Peace
00:25:11 of the Peace the use of and thirdly the use of covert Powers by the police and the security service is a danger to democracy and is therefore subject to a particularly strict necessity test
00:25:24 strict necessity test so on those principles there isn't even a sliver of Blue Water between the common law and article 8 of the European convention indeed if anything the protection
00:25:39 indeed if anything the protection afforded by article 8 is less because a wider range of justifications can in theory be relied on to justify an interference with the home
00:25:48 on 9th of May last year sir you invited the police participants to respond to those submissions on the law for almost 10 months there has been Stony silence but on the 10th of February 2023 as part of their written closings the three police legal teams
00:26:00 closings the three police legal teams and their three separately instructed King's councils have produced what is clearly a concerted position on the law first they say the category H
00:26:11 first they say the category H submissions on the law are novel and controversial but that is obviously wrong for the reasons I've explained
00:26:22 wrong for the reasons I've explained these solid principles Prince precedence in English law apply to police as well as the public the principles do not become attenuated just because the policemen take their uniforms off and grow beards they're not
00:26:36 uniforms off and grow beards they're not more relaxed for those who are spying on protesters than those investigating serious violent crimes it is those seeking to commit trespass or break confidences who must justify it unless the MPS can point to special statutory Powers permitting them to
00:26:48 statutory Powers permitting them to break the law in public order cases or undercover cases which they can't they are quite simply banged to rights the police at the highest levels knew
00:27:02 the police at the highest levels knew they were trespassing when they tripped their way into people's homes MPS Police Commissioner sir David McNee said as much in his 1983 biography McNeese law at page 180 to 181
00:27:15 McNeese law at page 180 to 181 he complained that his officers had not been given the powers they needed to investigate crime and that they had been expected to rely on the ignorance of the population of their civil rights to do so as he put it
00:27:28 so as he put it many police officers have learned to use methods bordering on trickery or stealth in their investigations they have frequently risked civil actions when doing so but until the last decade the
00:27:43 doing so but until the last decade the number of civil actions brought against police officers was extremely small I consider it quite wrong that police officers should be expected by stealth or by force and at the risk of an action for trespass to exercise necessary
00:27:56 for trespass to exercise necessary powers in the investigation of crime he went on to describe how the increase in civil actions meant that quote it is now increasingly clear that the days
00:28:10 now increasingly clear that the days when investigating officers could expect to Bluff their way into obtaining consent to take body samples or enter premises were numbered it is not correct therefore for Mr Sanders to say as he did yesterday that
00:28:22 Sanders to say as he did yesterday that trespass did not occur to anyone before the category hcps raised it it occurred to the police Commissioners at the time second the police say that they would
00:28:37 second the police say that they would run a number of defenses to any claim of trespass
00:28:43 trespass they say that police officers who could never obtain a warrant from a court to enter property can evade all this ancient protection that I've described this morning this afternoon by simply tricking their way into people's homes sir this is indeed a novel and
00:29:01 sir this is indeed a novel and controversial argument but the novelty and controversy is all on the police side
00:29:09 side it is clear Beyond arguments that on the current state of the law those invited onto property for one purpose may not use that license for another that is House of laws Authority Hillen and ICI the sole case of burn relied upon by all three police legal teams is a first
00:29:21 three police legal teams is a first instance Authority doubted by many who have considered it since and even if it were a certain precedent it would not Avail the police
00:29:32 Avail the police the license given by a cinema or a shop to the general public is Broad and general and encompasses a wide range of purposes or nopa particular purpose at all a private person's invitation into
00:29:47 all a private person's invitation into their home by contrast is almost always targeted to known and identified individuals and contains an explicit or implicit purpose any deviation is a trespass
00:30:01 any deviation is a trespass CERN the police also suggests they would invite the courts to develop new defenses on public policy grounds they suggest that the courts who have
00:30:12 they suggest that the courts who have for hundreds of years refused to develop such defenses for those investigating crimes such as murder and terrorism would be prepared to develop them for police officers trying to discover how many people would attend a political protest
00:30:22 protest again this is hopeless if the police want you sir to recommend the law should change to permit them to trick their way into private homes when the courts would never grant them a
00:30:36 the courts would never grant them a warrant now is the time to say so that is what this inquiry is for but the current law of the 20th and early 21st century is crystal clear the sds's
00:30:47 century is crystal clear the sds's operations prima facie involved routine unjustifiable trespasses in the trash one era and in my submission you should say so
00:30:56 say so the third argument mounted by the police is that the sds's operations were unjustified by modern standards but justified by standards of the day this argument is squarely based on the
00:31:08 this argument is squarely based on the erroneous submission that the law in the transuan era did not protect people's homes and privacy from the police prior to the enactment of the Human Rights Act and Reaper
00:31:22 and Reaper this surprising submission is completely wrong as I've already explained there will be many who will be interested in the police's view that the only thing standing between the British public and an East germany-style police state is the Human Rights Act but the
00:31:34 state is the Human Rights Act but the basis for this view is false the common law is more than equivalent to the task as long as the police comply with it
00:31:48 as long as the police comply with it fourth the police suggest that with the Advent of Reaper and The Human Rights Act the severe intrusions of the SDS charge one era would not have occurred the home office in their closing submissions this morning have made a
00:32:00 submissions this morning have made a similar point but these arguments are wrong
00:32:00 wrong the excesses of Mark Kennedy and his fellow and undercover officers in the npoiu all post-dated Reaper for some 10
00:32:15 npoiu all post-dated Reaper for some 10 years they led the ipt the investigatory Powers tribunal in the Kate Wilson case to conclude that the MPS and the npcc had violated almost every right in the European convention on human rights when they spied on Kate Wilson
00:32:26 they spied on Kate Wilson the problem is not the content of the law although of course there can always be improvements the primary problem is that the MPS do not comply with the laws that exist unless forced to do so by
00:32:41 that exist unless forced to do so by constant supervision and the threat of legal proceedings
00:32:49 sir I have produced a full written closing which performs the following key tasks
00:32:51 tasks IT addresses first the final state of the evidence about the sdss activities in this period and the knowledge and responsibility of senior officers
00:33:02 responsibility of senior officers ministers and government officials for those activities it explores how and why the sds's serious breaches of key legal principles were allowed to occur
00:33:18 were allowed to occur it sets out the conclusions thirdly that the category hcps draw on the law and evidence
00:33:20 evidence the recent closing also examines the wider police policing context and in particular the role of police culture in the sds's activities I do not intend to address you address
00:33:40 I do not intend to address you address you orally on everything in this written closing I intend instead to focus on three key areas of submission first the police culture and policing context focusing especially on misogyny second evidence about the sds's
00:33:56 second evidence about the sds's activities and in particular knowledge of sexual relationships and finally broad conclusions to be drawn turning first to police culture and the policing context the trash one era was an especially
00:34:10 the trash one era was an especially febrile period for English policing as a whole
00:34:11 whole it's no exaggeration to say there was a crisis of confidence in policing in the 1970s
00:34:20 1970s the abuses and excesses of the SDS did not take place in a vacuum policing in this period more generally was characterized by deep-rooted corruption serious miscarriages of
00:34:32 corruption serious miscarriages of Justice resulting from police wrongdoing and civil disturbances some of this became public knowledge in the 1970s prompting widespread public concern
00:34:41 concern there were for example major corruption scandals relating to the actions of the mps's CID Drug Squad and obscene publication Squad the public was shocked
00:34:55 publication Squad the public was shocked to discover that so many police officers were taking bribes and working in concert with career criminals and that there was a systematic institutionalized and widespread network of corruption as the so-called firm within a firm
00:35:13 the so-called firm within a firm another example which led ultimately to the introduction of the police and criminal Evidence Act 1984 was the Maxwell conflict case in which three teenage boys including one with serious mental disabilities were wrongly
00:35:27 mental disabilities were wrongly convicted for murder after false confessions after their convictions were quashed in 1975 an official inquiry the Fisher
00:35:38 1975 an official inquiry the Fisher inquiry found in uh that their rights had been violated by the police in a variety of ways and evidence later emerged exonerating them completely
00:35:53 emerged exonerating them completely as I've said foot reforms followed some of these scandals and one of them was the police and criminal Evidence Act known as pace there was other serious police wrongdoing in the trans1 era that emerged somewhat later such as the
00:36:04 emerged somewhat later such as the wrongful convictions of the Guildford IV and the Birmingham six it's in this context sir that the misconduct of the SDS occurred
00:36:15 misconduct of the SDS occurred and advice it's my submission that many of the problems which emerged into the public domain decades ago including the long series of miscarriages of Justice had a similar cause to the misconduct of the SDS namely the police's
00:36:29 the SDS namely the police's long-standing cultural tendency to view the common law legal parameters and legal rules as impediments to their functions
00:36:38 functions as we will see the Home Secretary at the time recognized this problem when he introduced Pace to Parliament in 1983 but unfortunately he did not recognize its implications for the SDS
00:36:55 turning now to police culture has already indicated it is the category H's cp's case that the cause of the abuses they have suffered lie firmly in police culture and in particular in misogyny and disrespect for the law
00:37:09 misogyny and disrespect for the law this is made clear by the PSI report I've already mentioned that report was funded by the MPS and the city parochial foundation and
00:37:21 the city parochial foundation and requested by Sir David McNee the PSI researchers were granted access to police officers at all levels in the organization and allowed to observe all kinds of police work over two years between 1980 and 1982.
00:37:35 between 1980 and 1982. I'm going to address three topics addressed by the PSI report today compliance with legal rules and standards attitudes to women and wrongdoing by fellow offices
00:37:52 wrongdoing by fellow offices legal rules and standards the PSI report explains that not all rules which originate from the law are treated equally by the police rules can be divided into three types working rules these rules are
00:38:03 working rules these rules are internalized by police officers to become guiding principles of their conduct they are guiding principles because the police believe it is wrong to break those rules
00:38:18 to break those rules secondly inhibitory rules those are not internalized but they do tend to discourage police officers from behaving in certain ways in case they should be caught
00:38:25 caught and the third type is presentational rules which exist to give an acceptable appearance to the way that police work is carried out
00:38:37 is carried out these conclusions were accepted by the Home Secretary Leon Britain when introducing Pace to Parliament in November 1983. he stated honorable members will no doubt have
00:38:50 honorable members will no doubt have seen recent references in the press to a draft report on the Metropolitan Police by the policy Studies Institute that report which is to be published
00:39:02 that report which is to be published very soon makes the point that rules and legal constraints are not by themselves sufficient to ensure that powers are used properly I fully accept that merely having a proper legal framework is not the whole answer however that is not a reason for not having such a framework
00:39:15 not having such a framework unfortunately as we've already seen from Sir David McNeese biography the principles of common law intended to protect citizens against intrusions into their home and private lives fell into
00:39:27 their home and private lives fell into the category of inhibitory rules rather than working rules these sentiments go a long way to explaining why no one in the MPS seems to have given a second thought to the legality of the sds's practices
00:39:39 legality of the sds's practices the principal concern of the mps's most senior officers was that they should not get caught and they did not expect SDS offices to be caught because of the secrecy of the work
00:40:00 so turning now to Attitudes to women the PSI report describes police culture in the relevant period in terms which are strikingly similar to The conclusions of the independent office for police conducts operation hot and report about police officers in Charing
00:40:12 report about police officers in Charing Cross station 40 years later in February 2022
00:40:14 2022 the report also corroborates the evidence of hn 304 Graham coats in this inquiry
00:40:24 inquiry key findings from the report are as follows
00:40:25 follows the dominant values of the force are still in many ways those of an all-male institution such as a rugby club or boys school
00:40:40 school this shows itself in the emphasis placed on masculine solidarity and on backing up each of other men in the group especially especially when they are in the wrong the stress on drinking as a test of Manliness and a basis for good Fellowship the importance given to
00:40:55 Fellowship the importance given to physical courage and the glamor attached to violence this set of attitudes amounts to a cult of masculinity which has a strong influence on policeman's Behavior
00:41:07 influence on policeman's Behavior towards women towards victims of sexual offenses and towards sexual offenders in groups of policemen Body Talk About Sex and women is expected
00:41:23 Sex and women is expected body talk is described by the PSI report as a kind of game among groups of women of men in which they play in their imagination the role of a man triumphing over a woman for example an older PC said that in the old days women police constables when
00:41:38 old days women police constables when they first arrived at a police station were always stamped on the Bare Bum within with the station rubber stamp this fantasy neatly symbolizes three
00:41:50 this fantasy neatly symbolizes three Chief impulses the treatment of a woman is a thing like a form to be filled in or rubber stamped the humiliation of a women and sexual assault on her
00:42:02 women and sexual assault on her the report also describes how police officers tell stories about sex at one police station the main subject of jokes for a considerable time was a
00:42:13 of jokes for a considerable time was a story about two young police constables who were supposed to have had it for free with a prostitute while working a night shift in a panda car the report also records that some constables take every opportunity to
00:42:27 constables take every opportunity to give detailed accounts of reported rape cases
00:42:28 cases the men involved in this kind of conversation sometimes imply not only that the women probably enjoyed the experience but also that they would have liked to have committed the offense themselves
00:42:40 themselves for example a CID Officer went to interview two teenage girls the younger one aged 14 who alleged that they had been sexually assaulted in the flat where they lived he came back saying
00:42:56 where they lived he came back saying that the girls had played the man along and that he found the two girls very tasty himself in another example given by the report three experienced constables engaged while on duty in a great deal of conversation about sex in very gross
00:43:13 conversation about sex in very gross language in which their men were always conquerors and the women slags and there was extensive boasting about drink and this talk about sex women and drink was interspersed with
00:43:25 women and drink was interspersed with descriptions of violent incidents that the PCS had witnessed heard about or Taken part in the report goes on to say that in the attitudes and talk of the men ideas about the limitations of women specifically as police officers merge
00:43:39 specifically as police officers merge imperceptibly into General views about the inferiority of women which again merge into sexual boasting and horse playing
00:43:46 playing something of this mixture mixture the report uh uh describes as being caught in a single remark by an older Constable
00:44:01 in a single remark by an older Constable who said that quote a young girl will be no good in restraining a violent man as long as she has a hole in her ass the report says that talk about women on this level is pervasive among groups of men in the Met much of it is much more luried and
00:44:17 much of it is much more luried and extreme than the small example which the report quotes these findings of of the PSI report are echoed elsewhere and we've set out references in the written closing nor were these attitudes confined to the
00:44:28 were these attitudes confined to the lower ranks thus in several places in his biography in the office of constable Sir Robert marks makes sexualized and discriminatory remarks about women
00:44:44 discriminatory remarks about women police officers and displays nonchalance about police officers having sex with women members of the public while on duty
00:44:48 duty and I've given page numbers in the written closing sir publicly denigrating and sexualizing women police officers for holes or splits in their asses seems to have been
00:45:00 splits in their asses seems to have been commonplace in the police for decades it is also recorded by an article chronicling women police officers experiences in the 1990s one Officer says we were called split asses
00:45:15 says we were called split asses equally long-lasting was the practice of stamping parts of women police officers bodies with the station stamp in a recent BBC new news report one of
00:45:26 in a recent BBC new news report one of the victims of police officer and serial rapist David Carrick reports this happening as late as 2004. the PSI report concludes that these attitudes had a strong influence on police of police policemen's Behavior
00:45:39 police of police policemen's Behavior towards women towards victims of sexual offenses and towards sexual offenders
00:45:50 the PSI report strongly corroborates the evidence of hn 304 Graham Coates about the prevalence of gross sexual banter and undermines the evidence of those who deny that it took place in the SDS as Graham coats told the ucpi in his
00:46:01 as Graham coats told the ucpi in his oral evidence the quote nuts and bolts of the humor so-called were the same and it made precious little difference whether one was a mainstream CID or
00:46:15 whether one was a mainstream CID or uniform officer or a special Branch officer
00:46:17 officer he gave an example of this kind of banter which had plainly stuck in his mind as particularly lurid he describes an officer saying of
00:46:28 he describes an officer saying of another officer's sexual conduct with a female member of the public quote he'll have made her bite the blankets again last night these attitudes explain in my submission
00:46:46 these attitudes explain in my submission why many officers felt no compunction in entering into sexual relationships with women and did not feel the need to report it to senior officers as Vince Harvey explained it was not of much importance they also help explain why managers did
00:46:57 they also help explain why managers did not even acknowledge the adverse effects on women of relationships or take any meaningful steps to avert the risk of them which they acknowledged arose
00:47:09 moving on to wrongdoing by fellow officers sir part of the cult of masculinity described in the PSI report is backing up others in the group
00:47:21 is backing up others in the group the report States the solidarity among police officers generally and particularly among small groups who work together is extremely strong the researchers were told many times that an officer who had done who had
00:47:36 that an officer who had done who had done something wrong would always almost always be backed up by other officers even if they didn't like him
00:47:47 even if they didn't like him by way of example of this code a uniform sergeant in charge of a crime Squad was asked whether he would shop one of his mates who had committed a serious assault on a prisoner he said no I never would if one of the boys working for me
00:47:58 would if one of the boys working for me got himself into trouble I would get all of us together and I would literally script him out of it I would write all the parts out and if we followed them closely we couldn't be defeated and believe me I would do it
00:48:11 believe me I would do it when asked if it was wrong for police officers to get away with assaulting prisoners especially as this would involve a conspiracy to cover up the evidence he said oh yes but when it was all over I wouldn't want anything to do with him
00:48:24 with him the thinking was that internal Justice administered informally was Far preferable to Justice through the Machinery of the complaints and disciplinary system of the force partly because the penalties imposed were seen to be too severe and partly
00:48:38 were seen to be too severe and partly because discipline was seen as something imposed from the outside which threatened to the group as a whole the report records that the officers who investigated complaints accepted that
00:48:55 investigated complaints accepted that police in the lower ranks almost always back each other up and normally tell lies
00:48:56 lies this powerful code which in Joins officers to back each other up in the face of external examination has been emphasized in multiple studies of the police
00:49:06 police it is a protective armor shielding the force as a whole from public knowledge of infractions the them and US Outlook is characteristic of police culture
00:49:21 so I want to turn now to evidence about the sds's activities and set out in the written closing the evidence shows that in the tranche one
00:49:33 evidence shows that in the tranche one era the SDS closely monitored recorded and influenced the lawful exercise of fundamental Democratic rights including freedom of expression and political thought
00:49:43 thought freedom of assembly and political Association in doing So Undercover officers entered private homes infiltrated private and family lives and invaded the personal
00:49:55 family lives and invaded the personal and private dealings of members of the public
00:49:58 public they passed all the information they gathered out including highly confidential information about people's private lives medical information and banking details
00:50:11 banking details no one either in the SDS the MPS or the home office considered it necessary to respect the common law and human rights of individuals and they did not consider the impact on those rights of SDS activities
00:50:22 activities instead the home office MPS and SDS prioritize the secrecy and security of SDS operations and the interests of
00:50:39 SDS operations and the interests of police officers over all other concerns there was little or no guidance or training
00:50:43 training the sds's ucos were not subject to any mean of meaningful in internal or external limits and controls and there was no accountability in any forum for the sds's actions
00:51:00 the sds's actions the necessity for the uco's deployment or for the SDS as a whole was never properly considered so I've set out in the written closing references to and examples of the evidence which clearly support each of these propositions they are not in any
00:51:14 these propositions they are not in any real dispute and I'm not going to repeat them today but I am going to spend some time describing the evidence about sexual relationships some of this is disputed such as in
00:51:25 some of this is disputed such as in relation to knowledge and awareness of sexual relationships taking place a detailed analysis is in the written closing I will highlight a few key areas first risk of sexual relationships
00:51:40 first risk of sexual relationships there was an obvious risk of undercover offices in long-term deployments entering into sexual relationships the MPS now accept that deployments of between three to five
00:51:51 deployments of between three to five years from 1974 onwards meant sexual relationships would be expected of ucos and without a girlfriend ucos would face questions about why a young man
00:52:02 questions about why a young man seemingly had no interest in women the likelihood of a sexual relationship was increased due to the amount of time ucos spent Undercover
00:52:14 ucos spent Undercover some ucos worked seven days a week for 14 hours a day and worked for weeks at a time spending more time undercover in
00:52:25 time spending more time undercover in their cover identity than in their own real identity sexual relationships also offered a significant tactical Advantage for ucos and the usds both in terms of
00:52:39 and the usds both in terms of maintaining cover and obtaining more information thus and Council to the inquiry has already referred to this Richard Clark
00:52:52 already referred to this Richard Clark is believed by Mary to have used sex as a way of consolidating his history and to cement his reputation she said he was using it to get closer to us as a group of activists and it had the effect of allaying early suspicions about him in the tight-knit group
00:53:05 about him in the tight-knit group hm 354 Vincent Harvey said of his relationship with Madeline that it's a
00:53:17 relationship with Madeline that it's a sign that you're living a normal a more normal life it would dispel suspicion hn 106 Barry Tompkins said it was helpful for my cover for people to think I had a girlfriend hm 304 Graeme Coates explained that an
00:53:33 hm 304 Graeme Coates explained that an individual in a sexual relationship with an activist is far more likely to be in a position to obtain valuable information
00:53:38 Not only was there an obvious risk of sexual relationships but it is clear that deceitful relationships did occur the passage of time since the T1 period the fact that some potential Witnesses
00:53:54 the fact that some potential Witnesses are deceased and the powerful code which in Joins officers to back each other up in the face of external examination means it is not possible for the inquiry to be certain it has a full picture of what occurred
00:54:08 what occurred it is clear however that several ucos in this period did have sexual relationships with women in their undercover identities there's no dispute that Vincent Harvey has sexual relationships because he he has admitted four
00:54:20 has admitted four one of those women has given evidence that's Madeleine and I will be giving her closing in shortly her evidence about the extent of the relationship differs sharply from his
00:54:32 differs sharply from his there's equally no dispute that hn21 had a sexual relationship because he too has admitted it his original admission of two relationships has changed to one however
00:54:45 relationships has changed to one however and it's not possible to corroborate his account of the relationship or its extent because the women or women have not given evidence hn 302 has also admitted to a sexual
00:54:56 hn 302 has also admitted to a sexual relationship which he also claims was short-lived but the woman involved has not been contacted to give evidence hn155 Phil Cooper has admitted dalliances and Liaisons to his risk
00:55:11 dalliances and Liaisons to his risk assessors but has subsequently denied that he was admitting sexual relationships claiming his comments had been misinterpreted and the interviews
00:55:22 been misinterpreted and the interviews rushed the risk assessors in their oral evidence have insisted their record of the interviews was accurate the evidence also strongly suggests that Rick Clark who is now deceased had at least one and most likely several sexual relationships went Undercover
00:55:37 relationships went Undercover one of the women Mary has given evidence about a relationship with him and has also stated that her flatmate had a similar experience Richard chesum's evidence is that Rick Clark had sexual relationships with at
00:55:50 Clark had sexual relationships with at least four women and other officers have also given evidence that they heard about his relationships directly from him or via rumors there's also strong evidence that hn 300 Jim Pickford
00:56:02 Jim Pickford had a romantic and probably sexual relationship with an activist in his cover identity which led to his deployment being terminated and to the end of his marriage
00:56:13 end of his marriage hn 106 Barry Tompkins was believed by the security services and SDS managers
00:56:27 the security services and SDS managers to have bedded one woman and was thought by activists to be in relationship in a relationship with a second woman known as Barry's girlfriend he denies being in a sexual relationship with either but he admits a very close personal relationship with the woman thought to be his girlfriend
00:56:40 thought to be his girlfriend there is a dispute as to whether hn 126
00:56:53 there is a dispute as to whether hn 126 Paul Gray had a sexual relationship with Ross Gardner who's deceased her fellow activist Neil Hardy has provided evidence suggesting that he did but he has denied it it is the category hcp's case that the evidence shows that between 1974 and 1982 out of a total of 23 ucos five of
00:57:12 1982 out of a total of 23 ucos five of whom are deceased so they could not give evidence to the inquiry at least six ucos had one or more sexual relationships with female members of the public in their undercover identity a further seventh UCO Barry Tompkins had
00:57:25 a further seventh UCO Barry Tompkins had an intimate romantic relationship with a female member of the public which may well have been sexual and was perceived as serious by both the woman involved and their circle of acquaintances
00:57:38 as for the rest given the lukuni in the evidential picture it's not possible to be sure whether any of the remaining 16 ucos five of whom are dead had sexual
00:57:51 ucos five of whom are dead had sexual relationships with member of the publics female members of the public but it's likely that some of them did
00:58:04 so the designated lawyers have asked you to draw a distinction between one-night stands and longer sexual relationships I urge you not to do that at least in this T1 era that is because the claims of one night stands are entirely uncorroborated they may not be true and they that may not be how they were
00:58:16 they that may not be how they were viewed by the women concerned the only woman who has been able to give evidence in relation to such a claim has strongly denied it that is Madeleine in relation to Vince Vincent Harvey
00:58:34 moving on now to wider knowledge of sexual Relationships by managers and others
00:58:41 others the evidence shows that the risk that undercover officers would enter into sexual relationships was widely understood by undercover officers and managers at the time it was also widely known that such
00:58:57 it was also widely known that such relationships were likely to be taking place even if undercover officers and managers did not know about specific relationships Rick Clark's sexual relationships as I've already mentioned became the subject of widespread knowledge in the SDS after his undercover identity was
00:59:12 SDS after his undercover identity was exposed as false in 1976 and he had to be withdrawn from deployment and a number of ucos and managers also came to know about hn 300 Jim pickford's
00:59:27 came to know about hn 300 Jim pickford's withdrawal from deployment in 1976 after he fell in love with a female member of the public whom he later married
00:59:35 so there are three managers who have acknowledged knowing about the risk of relationships superintendent David Bicknell detective inspector Angus McIntosh and Chief Inspector Trevor Butler
00:59:44 Butler in addition to these acknowledgments there's evidence that Chief Inspector Mike Ferguson who is deceased also knew of the risk because Angus Macintosh said that he did
00:59:59 that he did nor was the risk known only in the abstract
01:00:00 abstract in oral and written testimony Graham Coates said that they were jokey remarks made in SDS meetings about sexual
01:00:20 made in SDS meetings about sexual encounters with women whilst undercover including some of a gross kind such as the one that I have mentioned already and he also said that jokes about Richard Clark and his sexual activities were common in
01:00:31 and his sexual activities were common in a safe house with SDS managers knowledge those comments in the safe house in the 1976 period left him in no doubt that the management were aware of Rick Clark's Behavior
01:00:42 were aware of Rick Clark's Behavior in oral evidence Graham Coates stated he was confident that the Contemporary management of SDS Chief Inspector Derek Neal inspector and Chief Inspector Jeffrey Kraft Sergeant hn 368 were aware
01:00:56 Jeffrey Kraft Sergeant hn 368 were aware of those jokes about Rick Clark's sexual relationships he also said that he believed Angus Macintosh would have been aware as he joined the SDS in 1976 shortly before Rick Clark was compromised
01:01:10 Rick Clark was compromised the cat H CPS submit that Graham coates's oral and written testimony is honest candid consistent and plausible and in keeping with the findings
01:01:26 and in keeping with the findings findings of the Contemporary PSI report it's also supported by the following evidence
01:01:28 evidence Rick Clark openly boasted about his sexual exploits to other undercover officers
01:01:36 officers he had an established reputation as a womanizer
01:01:44 womanizer an officer enclosed has described how it became common knowledge that Rick Clark had engaged in sexual relationships leading to his compromise in 1976. when asked about manager's knowledge he said I wouldn't know if they knew or if
01:01:55 said I wouldn't know if they knew or if it was just a rank and Farthing I should imagine that some of them did when Paul Gray joined the SDS in October
01:02:07 when Paul Gray joined the SDS in October 1977 he raised concerns about the use of a deceased child's identity after Rick Clark's compromise he was reassured by SDS management he said that he would not be compromised in a similar way because Rick Clark's
01:02:20 a similar way because Rick Clark's sexual relationships had been the cause the detective inspectors and chief inspectors in post at that time were Jeffrey Kraft Angus McIntosh and Kenneth Pride
01:02:35 Pride among those managers as Angus Macintosh accepted there were no secrets professionally finally sir the Rick Clark matter became Infamous and was documented in the SDS tradecraft manual it is implausible that an event so notorious was known to ucos
01:02:51 an event so notorious was known to ucos but unknown to those managers who had to deal with the Fallout in real time
01:02:57 in the same year as the Rick Clark matter as I've already indicated Jim Pickford was withdrawn from deployment
01:03:08 he had confessed to his UCO colleague that he'd fallen in love that colleague reported the matter to the office and that colleague has also given evidence that Angus Macintosh met the undercover officer in the pub the premature withdrawal of Jim Pickford
01:03:22 the premature withdrawal of Jim Pickford was the second significant withdrawal in the SDS within three months and must have been a matter of considerable note there were was also there are also
01:03:34 there were was also there are also minutes from a meeting between the security services and the SDS from night 29th of June 1981 which confirmed that Chief Inspector Dave
01:03:45 confirmed that Chief Inspector Dave Short was aware that Barry Tompkins had probably bedded an activist at the time Jeffrey Kraft was Chief superintendent of escort with responsibility for the SDS
01:03:59 responsibility for the SDS all of this indicates wide knowledge notwithstanding all this evidence several SDS managers have denied they were aware of the risk of sexual relationships and have also denied that they were aware of actual or suspected
01:04:12 they were aware of actual or suspected relationships of Rick Clark Jim Pickford and Barry Tompkins the category hcps submit that these denials do not withstand scrutiny given that the risk of sexual
01:04:29 given that the risk of sexual relationships is obvious and inherent it is simply not plausible that some ucos and managers in a position of responsibility like Angus MacIntosh and Michael Ferguson were aware of that risk and some like Jeffrey Kraft and Barry Moss were not
01:04:43 Moss were not Jeffrey Kraft's denials of awareness are particularly implausible because they involve accepting that an inspector who was for a whole year directly answerable to him Angus MacIntosh and a detective
01:04:54 to him Angus MacIntosh and a detective Chief Inspector who took over his role shortly after Jeffrey Kraft relinquished it that's Michael Ferguson we're both aware of or involved in discussions
01:05:08 aware of or involved in discussions about the issue of girlfriends but he was wholly unaware of them there are a number of other seriously problematic aspects of the evidence of senior managers Jeffrey Kraft and Angus Macintosh including their claim that
01:05:20 Macintosh including their claim that they do not recall serving alongside each other for a year between 1976 and 1977. even though the evidence shows
01:05:31 1977. even though the evidence shows Beyond doubt that this is what occurred I've addressed this in the written closing and do not repeat it here safe to say that these claims alongside both
01:05:43 to say that these claims alongside both men's evidence that they were unaware of the widespread common understanding in the SDs that Rick Clark's sexual relationships led to his compromise and their evidence that they also did not know why Jim Pickford was withdrawn are incredible they should be rejected
01:05:55 incredible they should be rejected as for Trevor met Butler and Barry Moss both men took over management of the SDS in 1979 and 1980 and for the reason set
01:06:07 in 1979 and 1980 and for the reason set out above they cannot have been ignorant of the obvious risk of sexual relationships or kept in the dark about the scandalous events of 1976 which
01:06:18 the scandalous events of 1976 which showed that the risk was not merely theoretical Trevor Butler furthermore is very likely to have been aware of the security services recorded belief that Barry Tompkins had bedded an activist because
01:06:31 Tompkins had bedded an activist because he was Chief Inspector of the SDS at the time and Barry Tompkins recalls a conversation with him notwithstanding Butler's denials
01:06:46 no meaningful steps were taken to combat the known risk of sexual relationships even after Rick Clark and Jim Pickford were withdrawn in 1976 there was no evidence of guidance or training to
01:07:00 evidence of guidance or training to officers to avoid sexual relationships nor were any other measures taken undercover officers were not advised or provided any guidance about avoiding
01:07:14 provided any guidance about avoiding sexual relationships while undercover at best they were advised euphemistically to be careful and take precautions SDS managers have confirmed that they did not give officers advice about sexual relationships while Undercover Barry Moss said it might have been a
01:07:29 Barry Moss said it might have been a good idea but he did not give advice on how to avoid sexual contact Jeffrey Kraft appeared unable even to conceptualize what such guidance would have looked looked like when he was asked about how to prevent officers
01:07:43 asked about how to prevent officers engaging in sexual relationships he said all I can say is that perhaps one it needs to be emphasized regularly before it starts and also regularly while the operation is continuing because I don't think there is any way of preventing it
01:07:58 think there is any way of preventing it because these things happen but it is a problem
01:07:59 problem Angus Macintosh said I would have thought that if they were having a
01:08:10 thought that if they were having a problem with this particular aspect they would approach either myself or the DCI to discuss the problem and the way forward
01:08:20 in addition to the lack of guidance there was no support to develop cover backgrounds and legends which might alleviate the risk of sexual relationships in practice undercover officers chose their cover identities alone without assistance Trevor Butler said that he did not
01:08:32 Trevor Butler said that he did not consider providing cover girlfriends to his offices Angus Macintosh gave evidence that there were discussions within the SDS about
01:08:43 were discussions within the SDS about how to deflect suspicion about ucos not being in a sexual relationship with a member of the group there is a restriction order covering the content of these discussions but in oral evidence they were described as
01:08:54 oral evidence they were described as responsive to quote the crisis at the time
01:09:00 so there were also no meaningful sanctions once sexual relationships occurred
01:09:02 occurred in relation to Jim Pickford Angus McIntosh said the matter would have been reported all the way up but he did not know if disciplinary action would have been taken
01:09:13 been taken he said all the circumstances would have to be considered and it could have happened the Senior Management may have felt the circumstances were such that it wouldn't be a discipline Jeffrey Kraft suggested it may not be
01:09:26 Jeffrey Kraft suggested it may not be possible to discipline an SDS officer to avoid compromise of the SDS when asked by you sir if Rick Clark would have been considered for disciplinary action if his sexual
01:09:39 disciplinary action if his sexual relationships became known he said the only caveat on that sir is bearing in mind his rights should there be a discipline board what would he have said what might have been published we were operating in a top secret area and I
01:09:50 operating in a top secret area and I can't honestly say what decision would have been made about that a similar remark was made by Barry Moss and Trevor Butler said that he didn't know if there would be disciplinary action as it was above his pay grade
01:10:09 so I want to turn to conclusions the category H core participants reiterate their position as set out in their opening statement for phase three and the accompanying legal framework
01:10:30 they submit that the use of undercover policing by the SDS was unjustified unlawful and profoundly an anti-democratic it's seriously violated fundamental rights at common law and human rights law
01:10:38 law both common law and human rights law contain strong protections for people against State interferences with their homes and for their fundamental Democratic right to protest and join
01:10:54 Democratic right to protest and join political group political groups and I've set out the law in the legal framework and in those submissions
01:11:05 framework and in those submissions sir the need to maintain public order at demonstrations could not justify the inroads into democratic values and private common law rights caused by extensive undercover surveillance there is no case which comes close to
01:11:20 there is no case which comes close to suggesting invasive powers like these could be used to police public order more effectively even where crime is concerned the common law does not permit police officers to ransack anyone's house or to search for
01:11:34 ransack anyone's house or to search for papers or articles therein simply to see if he may have committed some crime or other
01:11:35 other nor does the common law permit untargeted indiscriminate searches the courts have said the aversion to General warrants is one of the basic
01:11:48 General warrants is one of the basic principles on which the law of the UK is founded
01:11:50 founded nor can interferences be justified because the intelligence gathered by SDS ucos was shared with the security service
01:12:00 service as counsel to the inquiry has explained the activities of those spied on did not even meet the definition of
01:12:11 even meet the definition of subversion let alone pose any kind of imminent risk the category hcps consider that the mps's interferences with fundamental common law
01:12:28 common law with fundamental common law and human rights were particularly serious and dangerous because they opened the gateway to sexual abuse of them when they unlawfully entered people's homes and private lives the MPS took the misogyny which corrupted the entire
01:12:40 misogyny which corrupted the entire organization and transported it directly into the private homes and private lives of women
01:12:48 of women these were women who were entitled to believe they were safe in their homes and private Circles of friends and acquaintances
01:12:59 acquaintances they were entitled to believe that their homes were their castles and that in a potentially dangerous World they were making autonomous
01:13:10 World they were making autonomous choices about who to invite into their lives and private spaces who to trust in reality the MPS was making that choice for them and instead of choosing officers who
01:13:21 and instead of choosing officers who would respect the women they encountered and instead of taking all necessary precautions to counter the obvious risk
01:13:33 precautions to counter the obvious risk of sexual relationships both the MPS and the men sent into their lives had contempt for them these men were nurtured in a cult of masculinity in which women were slags or split asses and police officers were
01:13:50 split asses and police officers were sexual conquerors triumphing over women gross and lurid language about sex and women was commonplace some ucos were notorious womanizers the attitudes of senior officers were little better further to this day many of those
01:14:03 further to this day many of those responsible for the SDS in trash one do not accept that any wrongs were done to the women with whom ucos had sex they
01:14:20 the women with whom ucos had sex they have given evidence making plain they do not accept it is abusive for the police to use sex with women to assess to assist them to gather information
01:14:30 in these circumstances it is no surprise that neither ucos nor senior officers inside or outside the SDS paid any regard to the dignity or bodily autonomy of the women they spied on it is no surprise that no meaningful
01:14:43 it is no surprise that no meaningful steps were taken to avert the obvious risk of sexual relationships either before it first materialized or after it
01:14:55 before it first materialized or after it became clear that they were taking place it is no surprise that women were used casually by ucos according to their personal preferences or the perceived exigencies of their appoint deployment
01:15:06 exigencies of their appoint deployment to maintain cover gain access or obtain information and it is no surprise that after being used these women were the subject of
01:15:18 used these women were the subject of body talk or gross banter among ucos in the hearing of senior officers who tolerated it and turned a blind eye it is no surprise because this was part of police culture
01:15:33 the category hcps do not consider it remotely plausible that the manifestly
01:15:44 remotely plausible that the manifestly obvious risk of sexual relationships was known to and considered by only Junior police officers and their immediate superiors in the SDS any police officer official or Minister who knew that officers were being sent undercover with false identities and
01:15:56 undercover with false identities and cover addresses for four years at a time knew about that risk and they must also have known that no meaningful steps were being taken to meet it
01:16:11 finally the category hcps wish to address the attitudes of the MPS to the public and to this inquiry as explained above despite all the allowances made for them including evidence enclosed protection of their real identities and the Attorney
01:16:22 real identities and the Attorney General's immunity some police officers including senior officers have not told the whole truth to this inquiry they have continued to prioritize the
01:16:35 they have continued to prioritize the powerful code of backing each other up over the right of this inquiry and ultimately the public to discover the truth about what went wrong with the SDS in trash one
01:16:49 in trash one the them and US culture of the MPS pissing internal police interests against the public they are supposed to serve is deeply corrosive it is the
01:17:00 serve is deeply corrosive it is the antithesis of the pelian principles and in particular the antithesis of the principle that the police are the public and the public are the police
01:17:13 and the public are the police the public expected and had the right to expect that the police would uphold Law and Order and the values of Truth integrity and honesty which underpin law and order just as they the public are expected to do
01:17:24 expected to do in the trash one era the police undermine these values and betrayed the public Trust the public now have the right to expect
01:17:40 the public now have the right to expect the MPS will tell this inquiry the whole truth not all have done so that is deeply disappointing the category hcps consider that the endemic misogyny in the MPS the culture of them and us and the culture of law
01:17:54 of them and us and the culture of law breaking has to be eradicated for the safety of the public as the crimes of David Carrick and Wayne cousins have shown these attitudes and the tolerance for them in the MPS have
01:18:10 the tolerance for them in the MPS have horrific consequences for women they can literally be a matter of life and death they hope and trust that the inquiry will recommend that the long overdue process of eradication will be prioritized and urgently progressed
01:18:27 thank you very much um as um you uh have in fact stuck precisely at your timetable for your first uh submission um I hope uh that you would now like to have the 10 minute break which the
01:18:41 have the 10 minute break which the timetable affords you I would thank you very much good thank you
01:29:02 Miss Gilroy so I'm now I'm going to give the oral closing on behalf of Madeleine
01:29:10 Madeleine adopts in full the oral and written closing of the category hcps that closing is of particular relevance to her
01:29:18 to her she is one of the women with whom undercover officers in the tranche one period are known to have had deceitful sexual relationships due to difficulties in tracing and
01:29:41 due to difficulties in tracing and contacting other women or because they are deceased she is one of only two women who has given evidence about sexual relationships in trash one she submits that her experiences exemplify many of the themes in the category H closing including the Deep intrusions into homes and
01:29:52 the Deep intrusions into homes and private lives to which law-abiding members of the public like her her
01:30:03 members of the public like her her family and her friends were exposed as a result of the sds's unlawful and unjustified operations the risks and dangers to which women were exposed the consequences for women of the cult of masculinity which I've just been
01:30:17 of masculinity which I've just been talking about and which was identified in the PSI report um and The Limited reliability of some police officers evidence due to the powerful code of backing each other up
01:30:32 powerful code of backing each other up she says all her all those factors are present in her case in this closing I'm going to describe those experiences and the conclusions that she draws draws from them
01:30:48 that she draws draws from them she has given two witness statements and she's also given oral evidence in which she has detailed the political activism which began in her early teens and continued into her twenties inspired by her parents experience of extreme
01:31:03 her parents experience of extreme poverty and of war and their strong anti-fascism she's also explained the anti-war anti-fascist and anti-capitalist beliefs which led to her joining the international socialists
01:31:20 international socialists and later the Socialist Workers Party at 14 or 15 years old in order to create a fairer and more equal Society she has told how as a bus conductor in
01:31:32 she has told how as a bus conductor in her twenties she was a trade unionist in the transport and general Workers Union sitting on a regional women's subcommittee following that her political activist waned and she retrained as an artist
01:31:44 waned and she retrained as an artist teaching in schools and Community groups it is plain from her evidence and from that of the ucos who spied on her that
01:31:55 that of the ucos who spied on her that Madeleine has never been involved in any violence was never arrested and never convicted for a criminal offense despite this the evidence shows and see and the council to the inquiry mentioned
01:32:09 and the council to the inquiry mentioned this yesterday that in 1970 when still a child of 16 Madeleine had a special Branch registry file
01:32:18 Vincent Harvey Alias Vince Miller Cipher
01:32:23 Cipher hn354 was deployed into the SDS from late 1976 or early 1977 until 1979.
01:32:36 late 1976 or early 1977 until 1979. he infiltrated the swp social workers socialist worker party walthamstow branch
01:32:37 branch he has provided the inquiry with two written statements and oral evidence in open
01:32:43 open Vincent Harvey was friends with Rick Clark and hn 21. both of whom had sexual relationships in their cover identities in 1977 by the time Madeleine was aged
01:33:01 in 1977 by the time Madeleine was aged 23 Vincent Harvey was infiltrating her home and private life in his covert identity
01:33:03 identity for the next two years while frequently frequently attending public swp meetings and private Gatherings at her home
01:33:20 and private Gatherings at her home Harvey produced regular secret reports relating to her and others which were shared with the security service the reports included physical descriptions of her and details about her family relationships her political beliefs and her occupation in 1979 by the time Madeleine was 25
01:33:39 in 1979 by the time Madeleine was 25 Vince Miller as he was known started a sexual relationship with her which lasted around two months the relationship had a deep emotional impact on her for some time
01:33:52 impact on her for some time it was one of four sexual relationships he's admitted to well Undercover after he was withdrawn from his deployment in the Autumn of 1979 pretending to have gone to the USA Harvey went on to assume senior roles in the police force including leading
01:34:07 the police force including leading operation pregada an investigation into child abuse at Lambeth children's services and becoming National director of the National Crime intelligence service
01:34:19 service in relation to the operations of the SDS Madeleine relies on the evidence summarized in the category H written closing at paragraphs 47-74 and she adds the following about
01:34:32 47-74 and she adds the following about the evidence specific to the deployment of Vincent Harvey Vincent Harvey had not been tasked to infiltrate either the swp or the branches Madeleine was a member of or Madeleine herself he was asked to
01:34:50 Madeleine herself he was asked to observe and then become involved in an active subversive group that was of interest to special branch he chose the targets of his operation himself and used his own judgment about what to report
01:35:01 what to report his role was to gather both information and intelligence regarding potential public order problems and activities defined as subversive by the security service
01:35:09 service he wasn't provided with any other information about the intended targets of his work
01:35:21 of his work Harvey's tasking was not changed or refined at any point during his three-year deployment he worked seven days a week 14 hours a day and earned substantial overtime
01:35:33 day and earned substantial overtime Harvey viewed his position as treasurer of swp committees and branches as a fantastic opportunity and he used this position of trust to gather financial information on members including Bank
01:35:45 information on members including Bank details addresses occupations and living arrangements he then reported this information to the SDS expecting that it would be of use to the security service he also reported information about
01:35:58 he also reported information about children because the swp had youth movements and he considered the information important to special branch and the security service the swp branches that Madeleine was
01:36:15 the swp branches that Madeleine was involved with engaged in entirely open and lawful political activities whose Central aim was to create a fairer Society
01:36:16 Society they held weekly public meetings they sold newspapers in public they attended demonstrations in public and some members joined trade unions
01:36:28 members joined trade unions Madeleine has made plain that neither She nor her fellow members supported violence in any shape or form and that they were strongly opposed to any form of terrorism Julia Poynter who was a fellow swp
01:36:43 Julia Poynter who was a fellow swp activist in the same group has confirmed this in her written evidence Vince Harvey himself explains that a general strike rather than violence was the mechanism envisaged by the swp for
01:36:58 the mechanism envisaged by the swp for achieving change although he said Street violence was permissible against the fascists
01:37:00 fascists and he agreed that acts of individual violence were positively discouraged by the swp
01:37:08 the swp he explains that even when attacked by the national front few swp members would engage in violence
01:37:19 engage in violence the evidence suggests that disorder and violence involving the swp when it occurred was instigated by the national front took place at events organized by them and was therefore predictable where violence was envisaged in
01:37:33 where violence was envisaged in self-defense against the national front there was a often a great deal of rhetoric and language that was much stronger than action that followed in his words
01:37:44 action that followed in his words Madeline and her fellow swp members did not believe Revolution was imminent and did not think they could overthrow any part of the state in terms of a revolution there was an awful lot talked about and very little
01:37:58 awful lot talked about and very little action in that direction they were far more interested in building the working-class movement and sought instead to raise awareness in the working class and build a mass movement through their campaigning activities
01:38:10 through their campaigning activities including selling papers Trade union activities and protests
01:38:16 much of the benefit of SDS intelligence was cumulative rather than related to individuals it was confirmation of an absence of risk rather than a presence of risk and it was said to have
01:38:27 of risk and it was said to have permitted accurate deployment of police resources at demonstrations
01:38:38 Vince Harvey had several sexual relationships as I've already mentioned he said he was in a long-term relationship when he was deployed and that the relationship ended during his time with the SDS but he nonetheless
01:38:49 time with the SDS but he nonetheless said he had four sexual encounters with four different women Madeleine a member of swp and two women who were not members of swp but were what he called friends of friends
01:39:00 what he called friends of friends he initially said that these were all sometime after he'd split up with his previous long-term partner but was not sure of the timing of these encounters
01:39:11 sure of the timing of these encounters and he said his memory of that time is not that clear he later accepted that two sexual encounters took place at the start of his deployment when he was still in a relationship Harvey met Madeleine in 1977 and
01:39:25 Harvey met Madeleine in 1977 and regularly visited her house after meetings
01:39:27 meetings Madeleine recalls their sexual relationship beginning probably at the end of Summer Night 79 and continuing for two months he initiated a relationship during a party
01:39:38 party he told Madeline that he had had his heart broken by his former fiancee and as a result he had closed down emotionally and kept women at arm's
01:39:52 emotionally and kept women at arm's length and he had a difficult childhood Madeleine said these stories elicited feelings of sympathy from her she recalled him leaving in the early hours of the morning as a pattern of behavior
01:40:02 behavior her flatmates knew and everybody knew that there was something going on between them her feelings grew stronger and she hoped they would become a couple but he started to withdraw blaming the past traumatic relationship soon afterwards he disappeared
01:40:16 soon afterwards he disappeared altogether claiming to have left for the USA
01:40:18 USA she was very upset Madeleine's account is corroborated by Julia pointer and also an entry from a friend's diary which refers to Vincent Harvey as Madeline's ex-lover
01:40:30 Harvey as Madeline's ex-lover this is a contemporaneous diary Harvey's recollection is that he had sex with Madeleine only once he was single and in my 20s at the time had to mingle and network socially and
01:40:45 had to mingle and network socially and consume alcohol in order to maintain his cover
01:40:46 cover he as he described it was living a strange double life and did not think he was putting anyone's feelings at risk as a single man in his twenties he said it would have appeared odd to have acted
01:41:00 would have appeared odd to have acted otherwise and people would expect you to have some kind of relationship a byproduct as he put it of his relationship with Madeleine was that it discouraged advances from a gay man who was becoming persistent
01:41:13 was becoming persistent Vincent Harvey said that he did not use stories he told Madeline about his background as a ploy but as a cover story for protection he did not think about the effects it might have on women he said that the idea of sending a
01:41:27 he said that the idea of sending a postcard a postmarked from the USA after he left his deployment was a supervisor's idea and not his own he also said he did not tell his colleagues or managers or anyone else about the one-night stands he had
01:41:40 about the one-night stands he had because he didn't attribute it much importance and he finds it very difficult to answer whether sexual activity in his cover identity was permitted he does not recall guidance for sexual relationships and suspects it suspects
01:41:53 relationships and suspects it suspects it was left to his own judgment how far to become involved in the private lives of those he met Undercover although he
01:42:06 of those he met Undercover although he does say that hm 34 that's Jeffrey Kraft told him not to start a relationship with Julia pointer he accepts it was morally questionable for him to have had a relationship with a member of the public
01:42:19 a member of the public and that Madeleine would not have had a sexual relationship with him had he known had she known that he was an undercover police officer Madeline has confirmed she would never have done so he says that stricter guidance and firmer supervision would probably have
01:42:32 firmer supervision would probably have led to him making different decisions on sexual relationships Vincent Harvey also says he didn't use contraception with Madeleine because my perception was that as a full feminist socialist supporter than if there was
01:42:45 socialist supporter than if there was any need for protection she would have mentioned it this was a member of the women's movement and things like that he also did not use contraception with the three other women he had sex with for the same reason
01:43:00 for the same reason he did not accept when he gave evidence that Madeleine was betrayed vulnerable and disgusted by his actions he said that I think my feeling was that she wasn't overly concerned by the situation and therefore betrayal seems a little over the top
01:43:12 over the top Vincent Harvey accepts that Madeleine's evidence that their sexual relationship continued for around two months and included sexual intercourse
01:43:24 included sexual intercourse approximately once a week is genuine evidence but he claims he has a different recollection Harvey also claims his other sexual relationships were one-off events the
01:43:37 relationships were one-off events the first two were he made clear in his oral evidence at the start of his deployment with women he met in very casual circumstances his evidence changed but in oral
01:43:47 his evidence changed but in oral evidence he said of the first one it was someone else I'd met in a pub trying to establish some sort of local knowledge the pub had other people in there you get introduced not my greatest moment the second sexual encounter was in very similar circumstances of the third he said he had met her at
01:44:02 of the third he said he had met her at the beginning of his deployment saw her at swp call-outs and socially they had been he said very good friends and they had a sexual relationship one evening after a party at the end of his deployment he did not think she would have had a
01:44:16 he did not think she would have had a sexual relationship with him if she knew that he was a police officer Harvey said that he cannot recall hearing sexual banter among ucos and although he knew that a number of ucos
01:44:28 although he knew that a number of ucos who were in The SDS before alongside him and after him had reputations as women as womanizers and had engaged in sexual relationships undercover he says that he
01:44:44 relationships undercover he says that he only realized this after he left the SDS he also said he is unaware that the management ever knew of any such relationships Vincent Harvey was managed by three police officers Jeffrey Kraft Angus MacIntosh and Trevor Butler Madeleine relies on the analysis of
01:44:58 Madeleine relies on the analysis of their evidence in the cat H closing and highlights the following all claim not to have known that Harvey or anyone else had sexual relationships with members of the public they describe exercising close
01:45:17 they describe exercising close supervision over undercover offices but deny knowledge of undercover officers engaging in Intimate Relationships she submits this evidence is not credible
01:45:20 credible all three managers were aware of the obvious risk of undercover officers engaging in sexual relationships and it is not plausible that they were not also aware that such relationships had by the time of Vincent Harvey's deployment
01:45:33 time of Vincent Harvey's deployment taken place Rick Clark and Jim Pickford had both just been withdrawn from deployment in 1976 before Vincent Harvey was deployed and it was common knowledge that both had entered into sexual or
01:45:45 that both had entered into sexual or romantic relationships with women they spied on
01:45:50 spied on Madeleine adopts the conclusions of the category H written and oral closing for the reasons they set out she submits that the actions of the SDS and Vincent Harvey in respect of her and the swee
01:46:07 Harvey in respect of her and the swee swp branches of which she was a member were unlawful unjustified and deeply abusive
01:46:08 abusive she highlights the following Vincent Harvey was sent into the field to pose as an activist and operate Undercover four years without even having a Target
01:46:21 four years without even having a Target or organization to infiltrate still less an identified individual he was left to exercise his own judgment on who and what to report on when and where to conduct his surveillance and
01:46:33 where to conduct his surveillance and how much or how little to interfere into private lives and homes for three years his deployment only ended because he was promoted
01:46:43 promoted there was no pressing need for any invasive surveillance of either Madeleine or her fellow swp Branch members still less a pressing need for
01:46:54 members still less a pressing need for invasive surveillance of this depth and length
01:46:55 length neither Madeline nor her branch of the swp had been identified by the SDS as a Target
01:47:10 Target she had not committed any crime nor did she pose any imminent threat of breach of the peace which could justify the deployment into her life and home once deployed Harvey's surveillance confirmed this lack of criminality and
01:47:24 confirmed this lack of criminality and lack of any imminent threat of violence and yet the invasive surveillance continued
01:47:29 continued she also highlights that the use of covert Powers is subject to a particularly strict necessity test both in terms of the seriousness of the threat said to justify their use and the
01:47:41 threat said to justify their use and the need to show the lack of any alternative method of meeting that threat this straight strict test was obviously
01:47:52 this straight strict test was obviously not met in the case of Madeleine and the Wolfram Stowe in Layton branches of the swp
01:47:58 swp most seriously of all in her case and in the case of at least four other women these serious violations of fundamental rights were compounded by the abusive sexual relationships to which all these women were exposed when a male UCO was
01:48:11 women were exposed when a male UCO was sent into their private homes and lives Madeleine submits that given the lack of any proper justification for her
01:48:22 any proper justification for her surveillance in the first place this amounts to a particularly egregious violation of her rights she agrees with the category 8 submission that the failure to take any steps to protect women in the wake of Rick Clark's withdrawal from deployment indicates tacit acceptance that sexual
01:48:38 indicates tacit acceptance that sexual relationships would have cut would occur given the timing it had an immediate adverse impact on her
01:48:46 her she also submits it is clear from Vince Harvey's evidence that he treated his deployment as a sexual opportunity from the start and he made full use of that
01:48:57 the start and he made full use of that opportunity as soon as he was deployed according to his own evidence he was still availing himself of these sexual opportunities right up until his deployment finished he also put women at risk given his
01:49:09 he also put women at risk given his multiple partners and failure to use contraception Harvey's casual and contemptuous use of Madeleine's body and emotions for his own ends as he explained he didn't
01:49:24 own ends as he explained he didn't attribute it much importance was inhuman and degrading treatment of her by him and all those responsible for his deployment which can never be justified Madden also submits that Harvey's evidence on the following matters should be rejected as untrue
01:49:39 be rejected as untrue Harvey's claimed that he did not hear sexual banter among ucos Harvey's assertion that he only realized Rick Clark and Jim Pickford had sexual relationships after they all left the SDS
01:49:54 SDS and Harvey's statement that he's unaware that the management ever knew of such relationships Madden submits this evidence cannot be accepted as credible given that the evidence of Graham Coates Jeffrey Kraft and Angus Macintosh about
01:50:12 Jeffrey Kraft and Angus Macintosh about the prevalence of sexual banter which is strongly corroborated by the PSI report given also the widespread contemporaneous knowledge among ucos of Rick Clark's sexual relationships and reputation as a womanizer and finally given that Rick Clark was Harvey's
01:50:25 given that Rick Clark was Harvey's friend and that he was compromised while Harvey was deployed Madeleine submits that Harvey's claim that it is his recollection that he had
01:50:36 that it is his recollection that he had sex with Madeleine only once should also be rejected as untrue and as an attempt to minimize his conduct given this and his changing account of the timing of his relationships his evidence that his other sexual
01:50:49 evidence that his other sexual relationships with one night stands were one night stands should also be treated with caution
01:50:58 in her opening statement for trash one P3 Madeleine highlighted but it was as a direct result of the sds's departure from basic common law and human rights principles that she was put at risk of being abused by Vincent Harvey she pointed out that had the sds's
01:51:09 she pointed out that had the sds's invasive tactics been reserved for serious crime or imminent violence had Harvey been given proper targets and tasking and had there been tight
01:51:20 tasking and had there been tight boundaries clear guidance and adequate supervision she would have been safe there is a further critical factor which put Madeline at risk it is revealed by the PSI report
01:51:31 it is revealed by the PSI report highlighted in the category H closing and the evidence of Graham Coates the MPS was as I've already described in the T1 era and it remains to date a
01:51:43 the T1 era and it remains to date a deeply misogynist organization dominated by a cult of masculinity by sending ucos with these attitudes into their homes and private lives of Madden and other women the mps's most senior officers put women at direct
01:51:57 senior officers put women at direct direct risk of predatory and abusive Behavior
01:52:02 this was as I've already described the place where they were entitled to believe they were safe in their homes and amongst private Circles of friends and acquaintances the MPS did nothing at all to avert that
01:52:15 the MPS did nothing at all to avert that risk the only thing that was averted was the Gaze of the most senior officers when they decided to turn a blind eye to this day the senior officers responsible for Harvey Jeffrey Kraft and
01:52:28 responsible for Harvey Jeffrey Kraft and Angus Macintosh do not even consider his conduct abusive Madeleine makes clear she considers the conduct of the entire MPS not just Vincent Harvey unforgivable and she
01:52:42 Vincent Harvey unforgivable and she holds them and the cult of masculinity directly responsible for her mistreatment and for the mistreatment of all the other women abused by the SDS she hopes that she and all of the affected women will soon receive a full and open
01:52:54 will soon receive a full and open apology from the MPS for the endemic sexism which was the driving force for the abuse which they have all suffered
01:53:06 the abuse which they have all suffered and a straightforward public commitment to eradicating misogyny and sexism in all its forms from the mps's culture finally she has a specific request to you sir that any reference to Vincent
01:53:18 you sir that any reference to Vincent Harvey and the inquiries reports be made including all the names he's been known by in other words his real name Vincent Harvey as well as his Alias Vince Miller and his Cipher hn354
01:53:30 and his Cipher hn354 this is because she wants to ensure he is visible and unable to hide behind ciphers as he's held to account by this inquiry
01:53:41 thank you um I'm afraid I will not be able to fulfill that last request one of the reasons we adopt ciphers is to ensure that we do not inadvertently step over
01:53:56 that we do not inadvertently step over the line between real and cover identity where there are restriction orders in place and I'm afraid it's a habit that's got ingrained and I'm afraid it will remain so
01:54:10 and I'm afraid it will remain so but everyone knows the real name of the officer concerned
01:54:20 officer concerned um it is it has been put into the public domain and in other circumstances other officers real names have been put into the public domain for similar reasons
01:54:34 are you now ready to go straight on to Diane Langford that's right so if that's all if that's all right I am moved straight to Diane langford's oral closing statement
01:54:44 so um like the others for whom I have given oral statements today there is a written closing statement I'm going to follow that statement but
01:54:57 I'm going to follow that statement but not all of it in my um oral submissions today can I start off by addressing um Miss langford's um background as a as a a political activist and campaigner throughout her life
01:55:10 life Diane Langford was born on the 21st of November 1941 in New Zealand her experiences there shaped the principled political activism which has been a feature of her life ever since
01:55:21 been a feature of her life ever since as a child she witnessed firsthand the unfairness and brutality of colonialism and racism towards Maori indigenous communities her brothers were meanwhile given a
01:55:33 her brothers were meanwhile given a university education whereas as a girl she was expected to leave school at 15 to work in a Kodak Factory she was later sent in 1963 to London not
01:55:48 she was later sent in 1963 to London not for her own education but to support her younger brother who had won a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music
01:55:53 Music consequently following her arrival in London she volunteered at the campaign against racial discrimination until 1969 became a member of the print Union
01:56:08 became a member of the print Union natsopa in 1967 and joined the Britain Vietnam solidarity front in 1968 to protest against the excesses of the Vietnam War in 1970 she co-founded the women's
01:56:22 in 1970 she co-founded the women's Liberation Front and also set up the women's Equal Rights Campaign she became in the involved in the Palestinian solidarity campaign in 1970
01:56:38 Palestinian solidarity campaign in 1970 and from 1974 to 1996 was Mother of the chapel which is a shop steward for the union the Society of graphical and Allied trades at the Press Association she is now 81 years old while her politics has developed over
01:56:54 while her politics has developed over the past 50 years her priorities Remain the liberation of women from all forms of Oppression and exploitation supporting self-determination and freedom from occupation and apartheid for the Palestinian people and movements for justice for other dispossessed or
01:57:08 for justice for other dispossessed or marginalized people all of this is set out in her witness statement as she says I continue to organize around issues such as anti-racism the women's Liberation movement the
01:57:23 women's Liberation movement the Palestine solidarity campaign the lgbtq movement Trade union and worker rights support for the NHS against privatization Nursery campaigns support for the disabled people's movement in defense of local Services Etc
01:57:36 Etc Miss Lankford has never been involved in any criminal activity she explains all my activism has always been open and through the usual Democratic means from lobbying the
01:57:49 Democratic means from lobbying the government to attending demonstrations I have never been arrested for a criminal offense
01:57:52 offense nor did Miss langford's activities pose any threat to public order she has never been involved in any violence
01:57:59 violence Miss Langford considers that her lifelong commitment and the commitment of fellow members of the groups she was part of to using debate protest and lawful means of community organization
01:58:11 lawful means of community organization and persuasion to transform the social and political system is emblematic of a healthy democratic system as her evidence records members of
01:58:23 as her evidence records members of various groups would debate vigorously the best method of achieving change with vehement language sometimes used some ideas were more palatable than
01:58:39 some ideas were more palatable than others but such open exchanges of views and the moderation achieved by debate and difference of opinion are the lifeblood of democracy they do not in any sense undermine democracy nor do
01:58:50 any sense undermine democracy nor do exchanges of ideas Merit surveillance by the state
01:58:55 sir while her
01:58:57 while her activism and her commitment to debate it is emblematic of democracy the same cannot be said of the
01:59:08 the same cannot be said of the activities of the Metropolitan Police Service and the SDS the disclosure made by the inquiry shows that while miss Langford her friends family and acquaintances were engaged in
01:59:22 family and acquaintances were engaged in the entirely lawful activities I've just been describing she was the subject of detailed surveillance by undercover officers posing as fellow political activists the surveillance lasted for at
01:59:38 activists the surveillance lasted for at least a 10-year period between July 1968 and January 1979 and it appears to have been particularly intense between 1969 and 73.
01:59:43 and 73. seven ucos infiltrated her private life in various capacities and reported on her during that period they spied on a
01:59:54 her during that period they spied on a wide range of her political activities including for the women's Liberation Front and the Palestine solidarity campaign
01:59:56 campaign the surveillance was detailed and intrusive with undercover officers regularly entering her home attending private social Gatherings and political meetings and recording detailed
02:00:12 meetings and recording detailed information about her political views family Arrangements marriage and employment they then stood and shared this private information with other police officers and the security service
02:00:28 and the security service their reporting was often accompanied by inappropriate personal commentary on Miss langford's views and family Arrangements the evidence educed in trash one shows that Miss langford's political activities were the subject of intense and long-term surveillance by these
02:00:42 and long-term surveillance by these seven ucos now she has attempted for the assistance of the inquiry to put this reporting in context in her statement although as she explains she's not had access to all the information which would enable her to comment most
02:00:53 would enable her to comment most effectively including photographs of ucos which would allow her to recall them
02:01:06 them the surveillance and reporting of two of these officers hn 348 and hn45 was particularly intrusive hn 348 infiltrated Miss langford's life for two years spying on wlf meetings and
02:01:19 for two years spying on wlf meetings and hn45 for three years with both attending private meetings in her home and the homes of fellow activists and compiling dozens of reports containing detailed information about her political views
02:01:31 information about her political views that of her husband ABI Manu manchanda and about their private family life including their child care Arrangements Miss Langford was also spied on intensively by three other officers hn135
02:01:43 hn135 hn336 and hm335 between 1969 to 70 including a private meetings and at her home
02:01:57 hn348 Sandra Davis confirmed that the meetings of the wlf she attended were often held in private homes she told her senior officers about this and says there was no suggestion I should not
02:02:08 there was no suggestion I should not attend because the people beatings were held in those homes she was also not given any guidance not to report private or personal details that she had observed there
02:02:23 that she had observed there the groups which hn 348 infiltrated held meetings and engaged in leafletting and demonstrations their activities were all within the bounds of the law as hn348 put it the political ideology they were promoting did not spill over into what they were doing
02:02:37 doing these events were intimate social and refreshments were provided it's likely that hn348 took on the role of treasurer of the wlf on the 6th of February 1972
02:02:49 February 1972 was closely involved in the work of the WF and that she was also regarded as a central member of it as well as a friend even though she was in reality an undercover officer
02:03:01 undercover officer hn 348 was not aware of any criminal activity and there was no record of public disorder by Miss Langford or any other wlf members nor were any of them arrested
02:03:11 arrested she observed that wlf were more talk than action and for the entirety of her two-year deployment she did not see any subversive or disruptive or violent extremist Behavior
02:03:22 extremist Behavior she said she was tasked to observe them because special Branch did not know much about them and wanted to find out what was really happening her task her tasking to infiltrate the groups was so was broad brush and ad hoc
02:03:37 groups was so was broad brush and ad hoc although on occasion she appears to have received specific requests for information from the security service with which she complied hn348 did not think her undercover
02:03:51 hn348 did not think her undercover policing was worthwhile and she queried weather police officers should be undercover at all as the hn45 she was given the he was given the broad
02:04:06 she was given the he was given the broad task of infiltrating maoist groups which groups were a matter for him and he had fluid membership of lots of groups he explained that the SDS was trying to find out whether these groups posed a risk to public order and the security services also had an interest in gathering information about any risks posed to State security
02:04:26 there was no clear Next Step once a UCO like him got connected with a group they were expected to use their initiative discretion and judgment but
02:04:37 initiative discretion and judgment but hn 45 would not have reported on matters that did not fall within my broad remit he knew his role was to gather as much intelligence as he could on his Target groups and pass it back to the SDS and so he reported on names occupations
02:04:49 so he reported on names occupations addresses and positions of all members of the groups without selection one of his main jobs was to find out about membership of protest groups he said the security services were
02:05:03 said the security services were interested in everything and you did not ask questions about why they wanted certain information he also says that the maoists were generally not violent and he does not remember them being engaged in public disorder
02:05:19 disorder nor did any of the other groups he spied on pose any particular threat to public order or to the state as for subversion he says they were subversive in the sense that their whole purpose was to subvert the political system but they could not actually
02:05:31 system but they could not actually achieve this because they did not have the means to do so and they were largely pretty ineffective 1845 admits he was closer to Diane Langford and manchanda than to other
02:05:46 Langford and manchanda than to other activists and he claims to have been sufficiently close to babysit their child
02:05:47 child Miss Langford agrees he socialized regularly with them but denies the babysitting hn 348 and 45's reports frequently contained information on intimate
02:06:01 contained information on intimate private matters and social commentary that was racist sexist or homophobic recording this information served no conceivable intelligence purpose and yet the ucos considered it was their
02:06:18 the ucos considered it was their function to record such intimate details and convey their views on it to their superiors and the security service some of the information appears to have been recorded for amusement value and it illustrates the sexist prurient and
02:06:31 illustrates the sexist prurient and contemptuous attitudes of the ucos to those spied on just by way of example in relation to
02:06:43 just by way of example in relation to miss langford's Child Care Arrangements hn45 stated sarcastically manchanda considers that this is a practical experiment in the field of women's Liberation as he remains at home to look after their young baby born in December 1970 while his wife is out working
02:06:56 1970 while his wife is out working hn34h recorded the following about a women's Liberation conference in 1972 lesbian friends in particular made exaggerated and noisy displays of
02:07:08 exaggerated and noisy displays of affection openly kissing and hugging each other these displays were commonplace throughout the conference and it was not unusual to see two girls entwined in a corner that little notice was taken by the
02:07:21 that little notice was taken by the majority of women present indicated the prevailing liberal attitude both H and 45 and hm348 were withdrawn from deployment in 1973 when hn45 was
02:07:36 from deployment in 1973 when hn45 was recognized by Ethel as a police officer in fact Miss Langford says she already strongly suspected him but she but his
02:07:47 strongly suspected him but she but his violence and threats towards Ethel which he denies exposed to her the Sinister nature of his role it appears that hn 45's compromise led to a significant diminution in sds's reporting on Miss langford's political activities
02:08:00 activities which confirms that there was no proper need for it in the first place other significant reporting as I've already mentioned was carried out by
02:08:12 already mentioned was carried out by hn336-135 and 335 with Miss langford's report appearing in multiple reports from all these officers between 1970 69 and 17.
02:08:19 and 17. the targets of hn336 and 135 were the bvsf and VSC whereas hn335 infiltrated the PSC
02:08:38 in conclusion Miss Langford adopts the general submissions of the category hcps in their written and oral closing as for the surveillance of her it is Miss langford's position which she
02:08:50 Miss langford's position which she invites the inquiry to adopt that the police's surveillance of her was unjustified in every sense they had no right to be in her home and they were trespassing there there was no crime to investigate and they had no lawful Authority
02:09:02 they had no lawful Authority they had no right to record details of her family life all her views expressed in the privacy of her own home or the homes of others or at private meetings
02:09:14 homes of others or at private meetings there was no pressing need to do so even if she had posed a risk of public disorder but she did not pose such a risk nor did she pose any risk of subversion
02:09:25 subversion she also
02:09:27 she also asks the inquiry to confirm that her political views and family Arrangements were and are private and no business of the police or the state
02:09:40 the police or the state she considers that her right to have used untrammeled by surveillance or interference by the state secret or
02:09:53 interference by the state secret or otherwise is a linchpin of a Democrat a linchpin of a democratic system and a key distinguishing feature between democracy and totalitarianism as I've already indicated the activities she was involved in were a prime example
02:10:05 she was involved in were a prime example of what democracy at its best permits in order to achieve beneficial change in society there was nothing dangerous or subversive about them at all indeed Council to the inquiry has also
02:10:18 indeed Council to the inquiry has also said in his closing yesterday that the women's Liberation Front championed quality of opportunity quality of pay access to child care and fair divorce arrangements and yes it and Miss
02:10:33 arrangements and yes it and Miss Langford became a target for intrusive surveillance for almost two years language
02:10:35 language submits that the actions and attitudes of the MPS and the STS resembled those used by totalitarian states to spy on political opponents
02:10:49 political opponents they had little or no respect for the law for her or for the fundamental rights of any of those spied on instead the SDS was unaccountable and a law unto itself
02:11:02 law unto itself consequently it seriously undermined and damaged the Democratic Values which it was its function to uphold
02:11:10 Miss Langford also finally noticed notes further features of the category H closing which have particular relevance to her
02:11:16 to her the widespread misogyny and sexism revealed in the policy Studies Institute the PSI report uh is
02:11:31 is explains the sexist and racist attitudes pervading the reporting of hm45 and hn348
02:11:36 hn348 they also appear to have at least partly motivated hn348's deployment the women's Liberation Front as I've already said pose no conceivable threat
02:11:49 already said pose no conceivable threat to either public order or the state but it seems the SDS and Security Services assumed it was controlled by Miss langford's husband and infiltrated it for two years at least in part for that reason she makes that point a paragraph 70 of her statement
02:12:05 70 of her statement she also highlights the mps's attitudes to the use of force when dealing with public disorder which is set out in the police in action report and in particular they untraveled use of
02:12:16 particular they untraveled use of violence the observations of the PSI researchers Match Miss langford's experience of police violence towards demonstrators and strongly corroborate her evidence about that
02:12:34 finally Miss Langford wishes to draw attention to her statement in which she answered 22 rule 9 questions from the inquiry
02:12:36 inquiry in that statement in the spirit of cooperation with which she has always approached this inquiry she answered a series of questions in detail about her
02:12:48 series of questions in detail about her political views and family circumstances she respectfully submits however that neither the intricacies of the varying political stances taken by groups or individuals whom the SDS spied on nor her contentment with private Child Care
02:13:03 her contentment with private Child Care Arrangements between her and her husband are of relevance to the issues before the inquiry as explained above and in the category H closing long-term intrusive undercover
02:13:17 closing long-term intrusive undercover policing of the type carried out by the SDS must be lawful and strictly Justified at the time it was not in those circumstances the only relevance to the inquiry of the views of those spied on is that they were
02:13:28 those spied on is that they were extensively observed recorded and shared by the police and then stored by the security service for decades even though it was unlawful and unjustified to do so
02:13:51 thank you very much indeed and you had a by our standards a lengthy afternoon and I'm grateful to you for the cogency of your submissions thank you thank you very much sir
02:14:10 I mean
02:26:25 thank you
02:26:32 Mr Morris would you like to begin your closing submission thank you
02:26:35 thank you um
02:26:39 um I've been involved since 1974 in a range of groups and campaigns trying to encourage people to support each other and to make the world a better place such groups include ones promoting
02:26:51 such groups include ones promoting libertarian socialist and Anarchist politics
02:26:52 politics workplace solidarity environmental campaigning including London Greenpeace opposition to corporate power and
02:27:04 opposition to corporate power and exploitation including being one of the two defendants in the mcclebel case and involvement in community groups promoting local Mutual Aid and
02:27:17 promoting local Mutual Aid and self-organization speaking up for their needs as local residents I'm currently Secretary of the haringay
02:27:28 I'm currently Secretary of the haringay Federation of residence associations and chair of the national Federation of parks and green spaces the essence of my personal motivation and political beliefs has remained
02:27:39 and political beliefs has remained constant throughout the last 50 years or so
02:27:42 so the desire to tackle Injustice to seek improvements in society in the public interest and to encourage and Empower people to have as much control over their lives as possible
02:27:59 I will now read out my written statement and we'll make some additional comments in response to yesterday's submissions
02:28:08 I welcome and am Guided by the general statement of 90 core participants from September the 24th 2020 which I append
02:28:26 September the 24th 2020 which I append to my written statement I hope I can do justice to those Collective views and further amplify some of those points made by 90 of us in this inquiry
02:28:41 please see my previous opening statements for more detail especially about my own experiences which are appendices two to four I have incorporated or referenced a few of their key points in this statement I welcome the closing statement of
02:28:56 I welcome the closing statement of Kirsten Heaven on behalf of all the corporate cooperating co-participants and that's due tomorrow
02:29:08 co-participants and that's due tomorrow and our other lawyers closing statements they of course include a wealth of detail of the range of undercover operations the unlawful and unacceptable tactics employed and the impacts on so many groups and individuals
02:29:22 I also welcome [Music]
02:29:30 the statement by the council to the inquiry
02:29:31 inquiry made yesterday paragraphs 108 and 117 of his written statements in which
02:29:41 in which um
02:29:46 he concludes um that the SDS should have been disbanded in the 1970s uh and that
02:29:57 disbanded in the 1970s uh and that things continued to go wrong despite uh the uh Ripper um regulation of investigatory Powers Act in 2000 uh and that being the key issue uh for why things continued to go
02:30:13 issue uh for why things continued to go wrong destruct despite uh the regulation the new regulations and whether the current statutory framework is adequate I also welcome
02:30:26 I also welcome um the statements by the Metropolitan Police Service paragraph 152 in their written submission uh yesterday in which they say
02:30:36 say nothing should be taken as any kind of suggestion that deployments of the type carried out by the SDS in this tranche one period
02:30:49 one period would be authorized today they would not by modern standards the sds's deployments in this period are unjustifiable
02:31:02 unjustifiable not least because there was a failure to consider intrusion necessity and proportionality and I note the word unjustifiable being stronger than just unjustified
02:31:18 in this statement I will outline six key themes
02:31:22 themes how the undercover policing operations became a major scandal now recognized at every level
02:31:38 now recognized at every level so what kind of activities campaigns and movements I've been involved in and why three how I was targeted for what everyone has learned so far
02:31:44 what remains to be uncovered learned and achieved
02:31:48 achieved and six some important recommendations by core participants
02:32:06 credit is due to all the victims and campaigners who have spoken out and to all core participants who've worked together for many years supported each other and exposed the truth this includes our coordinated campaigning through for example the
02:32:17 campaigning through for example the campaign opposing police surveillance police buys out of lives The Blacklist support group The monitoring group of Family Justice and anti-racism campaigners
02:32:32 campaigners the network for police monitoring and the undercover research group we also thank the unite Union and the 200 Trade union branches who have
02:32:48 200 Trade union branches who have Affiliated to the campaign and the Lush company who have also actively backed the campaigning everyone involved with this inquiry must give special credit to the women shockingly targeted by undercover police officers
02:33:05 officers for sexual relationships they were the first to investigate and eventually uncover and expose the extent of deception and depths of abuse the undercover units were prepared to employ I strongly recommend everyone to read
02:33:21 I strongly recommend everyone to read the book written and published last year by a group of such women called Deep deception
02:33:29 deception it is a vital and damning it is vital and damning evidence for the inquiry foreign
02:33:30 foreign should not be underestimated
02:33:38 the long and often opaque inquiry has been exhausting and frustrating for CPS and many have fallen along the way
02:33:45 way EG
02:33:51 EG due to age illness or not being properly engaged and listened to finding the history too personal or unsavory to engage with or just being
02:34:02 unsavory to engage with or just being fed up with the time it's all taking and so they've moved on they have fallen away without yet getting the truth and Justice they deserve
02:34:09 deserve Justice delayed is Justice denied including for the millions of members and supporters of targeted organizations
02:34:20 and supporters of targeted organizations and movements and campaigns who are also entitled to know the full truth and to be confident that such secret political policing will never be tolerated again the lawyers acting on our behalf have
02:34:37 the lawyers acting on our behalf have eloquently and persuasively summed up the evidence obtained and the legal implications I'd like also to thank the investigative journalists who have published in-depth articles and books finally I'd like to credit the Mets
02:34:49 finally I'd like to credit the Mets police whistleblower Peter Francis a former undercover officer who helped expose the reality of what his secret unit was really up to including the
02:35:01 unit was really up to including the infiltration of the Stephen Lawrence Family Justice campaign
02:35:08 anyucos or members of MI5 who wish to turn whistleblower and tell the full truth are welcome to contact me or any of the cp's lawyers in confidence anytime it will be greatly appreciated
02:35:28 there have been a number of legal and official Milestones which have formally recognized the depth and scale of the undercover policing scandal slammed the SDS and called for action these Milestones include the Ellison review in 2013 into the
02:35:42 the Ellison review in 2013 into the quote seriously flawed unquote police investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence
02:35:49 Lawrence the review made a range of devastating findings against the Met police and the shocking role of the SDS in targeting the Lawrence Family campaign
02:36:06 then Theresa May's statement to Parliament on the 6th of March 2014 saying she was quote unquote profoundly shocked
02:36:14 shocked by some of the Ellison review Revelations about the met and the SDS and that therefore she was initiating this public inquiry and calling for a
02:36:28 this public inquiry and calling for a quote a change in culture unquote in the police
02:36:35 the next important step was the Metropolitan police's 2015 apology and payment of compensation to seven women targeted for fraudulent sexual Relationships by SDS officers
02:36:49 Relationships by SDS officers The Next Step was the investigative Powers Tribunal powerful legal judgment in favor of Kate Wilson
02:36:58 Wilson and against the Metropolitan police's spying operations ruling that the undercover policing units did not meet a pressing social need and were not necessary in a Democratic Society
02:37:13 the recent conclusion of this inquiries this inquiries legal team is therefore to be welcomed that the SDS should have been disbanded in the 1970s that's now reinforced by the
02:37:25 that's now reinforced by the Metropolitan Police Services uh uh agreement that the deployment was unjustifiable by modern standards
02:37:39 unjustifiable by modern standards the rights and laws reached by the SDS are not just ordinary lawful rights there are specially protected rights
02:37:54 there are specially protected rights enshrined in law and international human rights Charters around privacy the need for warrants to enter homes right to trade Union activity rights of assembly and freedom of speech the reason there are such laws giving
02:38:06 the reason there are such laws giving additional protection to such activities is precisely because governments and other powerful interests will otherwise constantly seek to extend and abuse their powers against the public around
02:38:24 their powers against the public around these matters the police therefore have a responsibility to resist government pressure to attack such fundamental rights
02:38:26 rights and a responsibility to defend those rights and not to undermine them and those who exercise them
02:38:40 the various groups I have been involved with sorry the various groups I have been involved in over the decades have been open and Democratic democratically or collectively run
02:38:51 or collectively run and engaged in the kind of public activities which the public are invited to join in or to replicate for themselves and which are essential if humanity is to progress and survive
02:39:11 all my activity which was being monitored was traditional and legitimate political and campaigning activity albeit much of it at the radical and libertarian end of the Left Right Spectrum
02:39:25 Spectrum producing magazines exercising heart for hard fought for rights to freedom of speech and extent and assembly attending or helping organize protests and social events demonstrations public meetings
02:39:35 meetings picnics attender Union meetings supporting industrial disputes defense campaigns for people arrested and so on
02:39:46 such groups
02:39:52 as we all should question and challenge those institutions which will power over people's lives and control the world's resources uh sorry those institutions which wield
02:40:07 sorry those institutions which wield power over people's lives and control the world's resources and decision making
02:40:09 making these include governments transnational corporations military organizations and financial institutions institutions are generally tightly
02:40:28 institutions are generally tightly controlled by a small self-serving Elite continually obsessed with power and profit and are ruthless and unaccountable in fact as I outlined in more detail in my April 2021 statement they are subversive of society and people's real needs
02:40:43 people's real needs they are the real subversives that need to be investigated indeed they are also the inevitable cause of most of what the SDS would Define as public disorder
02:40:55 Define as public disorder which happens in response to unfairness and Injustice unsurprisingly such powerful institutions have made a shocking mess of the world for centuries causing Mass hardship and poverty
02:41:10 causing Mass hardship and poverty disempowerment discrimination and oppression exploitation of workers and resources horrific Wars and large-scale environmental destruction
02:41:21 environmental destruction they have brought Humanity to the brink of nuclear annihilation and have been systematically exploiting and destroying the natural environment upon which human society Depends for our survival
02:41:38 survival as a result our species now faces a catastrophic and possibly terminal future
02:41:45 many of the groups I've been involved with have come to the conclusion that the evidence of History demonstrates that such powerful institutions can't be successfully reformed and turned into benevolent useful public bodies
02:41:56 useful public bodies however history also demonstrates that Grassroots movements for change if large enough and determined enough can shift
02:42:09 enough and determined enough can shift the balance of power and win concessions and victories for the public along the way
02:42:15 the groups I've been involved in have tried their best to support efforts to build single issue and other campaigns and movements to improve things in the Here and Now
02:42:29 Here and Now some of those groups logically also call for the hierarchical and authoritarian institutions which are causing the shocking problems Humanity unfortunately has to face to be transformed or replaced in the
02:42:40 to be transformed or replaced in the long term by a genuinely Democratic way of running Society one in which people all over the world collectively manage their own neighborhoods workplaces and lives and
02:42:54 neighborhoods workplaces and lives and ensure that all the resources are shared fairly and all decision making is for the public good in fact most of the groups organizations and movements targeted by undercover
02:43:05 and movements targeted by undercover units over decades share some or most of the info of the aforementioned and wholly legitimate characteristics and beliefs basically challenging the
02:43:22 beliefs basically challenging the oppressive and effect unfair status quo in order to improve things for all which is why they were targeted foreign
02:43:34 to some of the comments yesterday uh in the police submissions regarding so-called extremism and public order
02:43:51 what is extremism I know the characterization yesterday of quote extreme left wing being something to be demonized and suppressed
02:44:02 as if they as a um the extreme left wing comes from another planet and exists to systematically create disorder to somehow thereby ferment Revolution
02:44:16 protests and protest movements in fact are caused by significant Injustice and oppression leading to people responding to try to address and change that
02:44:27 to try to address and change that revolutionary groups exist because many people in protest movements want real and Lasting change and don't think that will come through Parliament foreign
02:44:36 foreign but Revolution can only happen if the majority of people want real change and make it happen themselves
02:44:58 the extreme the extremism demonization is particularly used as if somehow the so-called extreme left is equivalent to the extreme right wing during so-called Tit for Tat confrontations this was said yesterday
02:45:08 this false so-called equivalence between Fascism and anti-fascism is shockingly disrespectful disrespectful of those who have challenged very real fascist threats at certain times to the
02:45:20 threats at certain times to the well-being of our society and to particular sections of our society such false equivalence is frankly nauseating it is also lazy and inaccurate
02:45:33 it is also lazy and inaccurate fascist groups are Psychopathic organizations committed to spreading hatred division fear and Terror in order to seize power and impose via mass
02:45:49 to seize power and impose via mass murder a military-style dictatorship in which all opposition and Civil Society is wiped out those who actively oppose this are to be commended and supported by all publicly spirited people not
02:46:06 by all publicly spirited people not denounced as just as bad as them or extremists so what is Extreme what is really extreme
02:46:17 extreme is capital sorry is capitalism where decisions are made as happens now on the basis of increasing the wealth and profits of the Rich and Powerful extreme
02:46:31 Rich and Powerful extreme an Oxfam report last month revealed and condemned the fact that the world's extremely richest one percent increase their already obscene wealth by 21 trillion pounds
02:46:42 trillion pounds since 2020 whilst the vast majority of us are forced to undergo and protest about
02:46:57 forced to undergo and protest about austerity policies wage Cuts price Rises and cuts to Public Services thank you
02:47:02 thank you is an unscientific approach to The Climate emergency extreme
02:47:11 extreme that is the current ever increase in global carbon emissions threatening Humanity's future
02:47:17 this such extremism inevitably leads to increasing demands and protests for the immediate effective Action Now required required
02:47:29 required as I've said in a previous statement the most extreme challenge we all face and probably have ever faced is the climate catastrophe being caused by governments and corporations promoting unbridled
02:47:42 corporations promoting unbridled resource extraction and consumerism based on fossil fuel extraction
02:47:51 in 1968 the American petroleum Institute had commissioned U.S Stanford Institute scientists to look at the consequences of burning fossil fuels this is at the same time as the SDS being set up
02:48:06 the SDS being set up those scientists said that continuing to burn fossil fuels would lead to increases in temperature the Earth's surface surface and that significant temperature increase could lead to Melting ice caps Rising seas and
02:48:19 Melting ice caps Rising seas and potentially serious environmental damage worldwide
02:48:21 worldwide they said quote there seems to be no doubt that the potential damage to our environment could be severe unquote that was 50 years ago
02:48:44 so who who is who is being extreme the fossil fuel companies or those who are protesting and trying to create a sustainable Society is apathy or inconsistency of efforts to make things better extreme
02:49:00 or is it important vital to come up with a long-term and coherent political vision and strategy that will actually make a real difference
02:49:11 is reliance on Parliament and politicians to solve society's serious problems extreme
02:49:17 extreme or is it sensible alternatively to empower ourselves in our communities and workplaces to work towards people being able to take over the decision-making
02:49:28 the decision-making collectively for everyone's benefits
02:49:37 our top-down authoritarian laws and practices extreme there are ever increasingly dictatorial governmental Powers over people's lives um
02:49:57 or is a Libertarian and anti-authority anti-authoritarian way of doing things based on devolving power to the Grassroots more sensible by various of the those yardsticks and although groups differ in their character priorities and activities
02:50:19 character priorities and activities most of the groups targeted by the SDS and security services are not extreme but are instead rather sensible in challenging government policy and supporting Ordinary People to campaign for their real needs
02:50:40 in my view most religions and governments are or potentially are extremists and totalitarian unless restrained by a strong and assertive Civil Society
02:50:51 Civil Society all government support Mass state violence for example Wars and weapons of mass destruction
02:51:03 mass destruction and police violence to impose their laws and ensure the maintenance of the capitalist status quo and its attendant injustices and oppressions
02:51:22 they're coming along to myself and how I was targeted I was targeted from the mid-1970s for at least 30 years and probably much longer from my political social and environmental activism
02:51:36 activism as we have heard in the 1970s Anarchy magazine a theoretical periodical produced by Collective meetings openly advertised was infiltrated by
02:51:51 was infiltrated by Graham coats cover name who fraudulently befriended and latched on to me in particular I was also involved as a post office worker active in my union in the London workers group it held fortnightly openly advertised meetings
02:52:06 fortnightly openly advertised meetings to discuss key issues facing workers and to encourage workplace solidarity and
02:52:17 to encourage workplace solidarity and opposition to exploitation by employers the group was infiltrated and the Spy volunteered to become the treasure treasurer of the group
02:52:23 in the next trance of evidence in the inquiry we will hear about how at the end of the 1970s and the start of the 1980s the SDS targeted the large uk-wide Grassroots movement
02:52:40 Grassroots movement of which it noted I was part challenging government policy promoting the growth of nuclear power plant plants and the transport and dumping of dangerous radioactive waste not long afterwards
02:52:51 not long afterwards an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine caused an estimated nine to sixteen thousand deaths across Europe including in the UK
02:53:02 Europe including in the UK I later got involved with London Greenpeace a small but influential Environmental Group who had been very active in the anti-nuclear movement in trance 2 we will hear about how three
02:53:18 trance 2 we will hear about how three undercover police infiltrated the group over a 10-year period one of them Bob Lambert helped write the groups what's wrong with McDonald's
02:53:29 groups what's wrong with McDonald's Leaf fact sheet which became the subject of the longest and one of the most controversial trials in English legal history in which myself and my colleague Helen Steele defended ourselves
02:53:40 Helen Steele defended ourselves Bob Lambert had a number of sexual relationships with women activists to boost his information gathering and even fathered a child before abandoning him and his mother
02:53:57 and his mother he also was later alleged in Parliament acted as an agent provocateur to get others arrested and jailed what was the sds's reaction to all these disgusting misdeeds he was promoted to the head of the unit
02:54:15 it should be noted that after myself and Helen tracked him down and confronted him over 20 years later he was interviewed on Channel 4 TV and had no option but to apologize for his behavior we will hear and also in trans too how
02:54:30 we will hear and also in trans too how the next police spy to infiltrate London Greenpeace John dines engineered a long fraudulent relationship with Helen Steele While She Was preparing for the legal battle with McDonald's
02:54:46 battle with McDonald's his sudden disappearance faking a mental break breakdown caused her intense stress for over 20 years during the sds's infiltration of the group McDonald's also sent in infiltrators
02:55:00 infiltrators during the mcclibal trial we were able to expose collaboration between the police and McDonald's in 1999 we sued the metropolitan police and they were forced to issue an apology and to write to all officers in London
02:55:13 and to write to all officers in London to tell them not to pass on information to third parties I look forward to chance to and the rest of the inquiry but for now
02:55:24 and the rest of the inquiry but for now I will mainly focus on what fundamental things we've learned so far
02:55:40 one the undercover policing units were a secret wholly unjustifiable and illegal operation from the beginning and throughout their existence two they were a colossal waste of time and public resources the evidence of undercover officer Graham Coates who
02:55:53 undercover officer Graham Coates who targeted me is significant for three years he targeted first the international socialists and then Anarchist groups in his statement he concluded
02:56:06 concluded quote the anarchists are reported on posed a minimal challenge to public order I do not think either International the international socialists or the anarchist movement were subversive in terms of their actions I do not believe any info I
02:56:20 actions I do not believe any info I provided was particularly significant I do not think it would have made any difference to public order if I had not worked in the SDS unquote
02:56:35 three the SDS were funded backed and praised and covered up at the highest level of government and police throughout their existence four they targeted at least a thousand
02:56:46 four they targeted at least a thousand groups almost exclusively left-wing and campaigning groups and movements which were challenging the policies and practices of the government capitalism and the police these movements were and still are
02:56:58 these movements were and still are representing the hopes and wishes of millions of people
02:57:07 five yes yes deliberately targeted mainly those in those movements who were usually
02:57:09 usually the most committed most determined most clear-sighted on how to reach the agreed goals of such movements
02:57:23 these principles dedicated and generally selfless people voluntarily in their own time
02:57:31 were then insultedly and wrongly categorized as so-called extremists and subversives and somehow less than human for actively caring about and supporting people's real needs questioning and
02:57:46 people's real needs questioning and challenging the powerful and actively seeking a better Society for all
02:57:50 um
02:57:55 six unacceptable disgusting and illegal tactics were systematically employed on an industrial scale for decades by the SDS
02:58:05 SDS and the NPR oiu EG the adoption and abuse of the identities of deceased children the entry into people's homes without
02:58:16 entry into people's homes without warrants the invasion of people's private lives the abuse of women as sexual targets
02:58:27 sexual targets one victim describing what happened to her as quote being raped by the state Mass surveillance and hoovering up or private information to be passed on to customers
02:58:38 customers for their use and abuse including illegal blacklisting of active trade unionists trade unionists and activists on a mass scale
02:58:49 on a mass scale seven
02:58:51 seven the phone hacking scandal rightly caused public outrage and calls for Action including prosecution's
02:59:02 for Action including prosecution's jailings and closure of the news of the world
02:59:11 world but the sds's behavior was a thousand times worse than phone hacking a few messages this was life hacking often for years eight the police never considered the welfare as well as the human and legal rights of those members of the public they targeted
02:59:26 they targeted surely any normal human being would do so
02:59:35 so surely as public service servants and in a position of power they had a duty of care while invading and influencing people's lives after eight years of the inquiry many thousands of people in groups targeted
02:59:43 targeted whether those groups have already been revealed or so far are still concealed remain in the dark about who spied on
02:59:54 remain in the dark about who spied on them what information was collected and what was done with it they are understandably angry as well as being confused and suspicious about which individuals from their past may have been police spies
03:00:07 been police spies and the events from their life which may have been secretly invaded and manipulated by state agents cynically math grading as their friends and colleagues
03:00:19 colleagues this delay is unacceptable and we need the full truth
03:00:27 nine in contrast the public inquiry at the best behest of the police is strongly applying privacy and human rights concerns to protect the identity and Welfare of undercover officers
03:00:40 and Welfare of undercover officers this sudden police conversion to such rights not previously of any concern of their secret units during their operations is surely staggering
03:01:00 operations is surely staggering hypocrisy it would be seen as ironic if it wasn't so serious many might think that those who secretly invaded and abused people's lives should have vacated their own privacy rights furthermore in most core participants opinion the Privacy strategy of the police during this inquiry is the key
03:01:13 police during this inquiry is the key cause of its massive logistical problems costs and delays
03:01:19 10. the public might expect that the inquiry's determination to invoke human rights laws to protect the privacy of
03:01:30 rights laws to protect the privacy of former undercover spies despite their abuses of the law might be applied a hundred times more strongly when protecting the rights of those victims who are seeking a better society and who were thereby secretly
03:01:48 society and who were thereby secretly targeted lied to abused manipulated and reported onto the secret services and other customers nine oh sorry 11. it's pretty clear that from the beginning and throughout the life of the SDS they were dominated by
03:02:04 life of the SDS they were dominated by the needs and obsessions of the shadowy security services MI5 Etc
03:02:05 Etc almost all undercover officer reports seem to have been sent to box 500 I.E the security services
03:02:18 12. fascist organizations were not targeted by the SDS despite the recognition that they were likely to be violent their predilection for crime and their
03:02:33 predilection for crime and their promotion of hate speech not to mention their organizing to impose by force of fascist State on society these were exactly the sorts of things the SDS were claiming they were supposed to exist for
03:02:51 13. why did the SDS do what they did and how did they get away with it because they could it seems that the old adage is true power corrupts an absolute specially secret power corrupts absolutely
03:03:12 14. to the Met police's current Scandal over its pervasive and toxic sexism as recognized by its current chief commissioner can be added previous inquiries findings against them of institutional racism and institutional corruption
03:03:25 corruption the SDS has demonstrated that such entrenched problems in police and culture go back a long way we believe that the undercover policing practices sanctioned at the highest levels also
03:03:38 sanctioned at the highest levels also demonstrate a clear anti-democratic bias and culture 15.
03:03:42 15. not only did the SDS turn their eyes away from fascist movements and their violence and subpersion by in the security services also ignored
03:03:55 by in the security services also ignored the systematic and daily mass capitalist violence against the public it's often illegitimacy and illegality and its subversion of society this
03:04:09 and its subversion of society this includes daily industrial scale breaches of health and safety and workers rights at work
03:04:13 at work landlords illegalities and intimidation of tenants on a massive scale the subversion of society and even of the state
03:04:20 the state by the practices of particular Industries and their propaganda forced on the public for example the fossil fuel industry tobacco junk food
03:04:34 fuel industry tobacco junk food corporations construction companies tax Havens and tax avoidance and so on why weren't the SDS and the security services targeting employers and
03:04:45 services targeting employers and landlords organizations corporations and financial institutions in fact by
03:04:57 financial institutions in fact by targeting the left Trade union activists and Progressive campaigns they were in effect actively protecting capitalist wrongdoing
03:05:02 16. the campaigning causes SDS targeted are generally on the right side of History
03:05:14 side of History and in many cases successfully so countering apartheid racism
03:05:16 racism sexism
03:05:20 sexism for women's equality for Trade union rights and adequate pay against blacklisting to protect the environment for Animal Welfare for equal rights for lesbians and gay men
03:05:37 lesbians and gay men to hold the police accountable and so on all those are now enshrined in law and or mainstream public opinion both campaigns and those who are pushing hardest for them should have been enthusiastically supported by all public
03:05:50 enthusiastically supported by all public bodies including the police not targeted and undermined it should be recognized that history vindicates Progressive campaigns and movements despite them being attacked
03:06:06 movements despite them being attacked and undermined at the time as extremists or subversive for example movements against slavery for Trade union rights let's not forget the trade unionists were once forcibly deported to Australia in the 19th century
03:06:22 uh movements for working-class people to be allowed to vote for example the churchists in the 19th century for votes for women
03:06:29 for women suffragettes in the 20th century and 20th Century movements opposing imperialism and colonization of all the now independent countries throughout
03:06:41 now independent countries throughout Africa Asia and South America and so on
03:06:56 what do we still have to learn we look forward to seeing and hearing the evidence relevant to trance 2 and the other tranches the documents and the
03:07:08 the other tranches the documents and the hearings this will be accompanied by the evidence provided by those we know we're targeted for participants and others we are still calling for substantial disclosure the undercover officers cover names
03:07:21 the undercover officers cover names their photos the names of all thousand groups reported on the files held on these groups and their members targeted this is crucial so that the people that CP uh or participants and members of
03:07:34 CP uh or participants and members of targeted groups and The Wider public can
03:07:48 targeted groups and The Wider public can get the information they are entitled to and the closure that they need the full understanding of the extent and impact of the scandalous operations and an opportunity to respond
03:07:54 finally recommendations for Action in conclusion the inquiries called upon to support the recommendations of the people's inquiry
03:08:07 recommendations of the people's inquiry organized by non-state for participants in July 2018 in Conway Hall London as
03:08:18 in July 2018 in Conway Hall London as reaffirmed in the joint statement by the 90 core participants in November 2020 and I set that out and fall in my appendix but in us but in the appendix Below in summary what is needed is
03:08:31 Below in summary what is needed is full this goes one full disclosure of the names of all the spies all the organizations they targeted or reported on and the files on individuals and groups which were compiled by these units and related bodies
03:08:46 units and related bodies so a finding of institutional sexism racism and and anti-working class anti-democratic agenda with the police and a requirement to address it effectively
03:08:59 effectively three a recommendation that undercover or secret political policing of progressive protest and campaigning
03:09:12 progressive protest and campaigning groups including by special branch and the security services ceases and all such existing specialist units are disbanded
03:09:17 disbanded many are also crawling for an apology from the government and appropriate compensation to those most affected by the targeting operations thank you very much thank you very much indeed you've kept
03:09:34 thank you very much indeed you've kept well within the time that you estimated I'm grateful to you for it thank you foreign