Pitchford Enquiry: Councillor demands names of police spies be made public

[Tony Gosling]

Pitchford Enquiry: Councillor demands names of police spies be made public
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS3sBl5TBPU>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS3sBl5TBPU 

The Pitchford public enquiry into undercover 
policing is being undermined by demands from the 
Metropolitan police to keep substantial parts of 
the enquiry secret - including the names of 90% 
of the police spies who have not been exposed so 
far. The Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance 
(COPS) are demanding that the names are made 
public, and that the enquiry really is a PUBLIC enquiry.

Veil Of Secrecy Over UK Police Spying Must Be Removed, Says McDonnell
Mar 23, 2016 331 0
<http://rinf.com/alt-news/newswire/veil-of-secrecy-over-uk-police-spying-must-be-removed-says-mcdonnell/>http://rinf.com/alt-news/newswire/veil-of-secrecy-over-uk-police-spyin 
g-must-be-removed-says-mcdonnell/
Police chiefs trying to keep their covert 
operations in the shadows should open up and 
admit to a public inquiry what they’ve done, 
Labour Party Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has said.
He was speaking ahead of a two-day preliminary 
inquiry into the activities of undercover police 
officers, in which chairman Christopher Pitchford 
will hear evidence on how much should be made public.
Home Secretary Theresa May announced the inquiry 
in March last year after revelations of the 
activities of rogue undercover police across the UK.
McDonnell’s serving and former Labour Party 
colleagues Diane Abbott, Dave Nellist, Ken 
Livingstone and Joan Ruddock all claim to have 
been targeted by undercover police.
Other allegations come from a number of women who 
claim to have been duped into relationships by 
undercover officers, and some newspapers which say they were spied on.
The politicians affected have teamed up with 
Sharon Grant, who is acting on behalf of her 
recently deceased politician husband Bernie Grant 
– who was among those placed under surveillance. 
Solicitors will present evidence condemning 
Westminster’s calls for police actions to remain secret.
In particular, it will be argued that withholding 
information on the targeting of democratically 
elected representatives hinders the inquiry’s capacity to hear vital evidence.
Officers, meanwhile, have drawn on human rights 
law to argue their case, with the backing of the 
Home Office. But McDonnell says any torment 
caused by undercover policing will not disappear 
until police chiefs unveil “the full truth.”
“It would be easier for the Metropolitan Police 
commissioner now to [be] fully open to the public 
and admit what went on, give us all the 
information that we need,” he told the Morning Star on Tuesday.
“And in that way, maybe, maybe, some of the 
victims can get some form of closure on this ­ they won’t, otherwise.”
But Scotland Yard has called on the inquiry 
chairman to maintain the force’s “neither confirm 
nor deny” policy over the identity of undercover 
police and details of their work in the field.
UK campaign Police Spies Out of Lives has 
previously said the victims of police 
surveillance strongly support the “principle of open justice.”
Via RT. This piece was reprinted by RINF 
Alternative News with permission or license.
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