Support Our Work Mailing list About / Contact
  • Home /
  • News /
  • 2011 /
  • January /
  • UK: Clean-up of covert policing ordered after Mark Kennedy revelations - Home Office minister Nick Herbert says Acpo will lose control of three teams involved in tackling 'domestic extremism'

UK: Clean-up of covert policing ordered after Mark Kennedy revelations - Home Office minister Nick Herbert says Acpo will lose control of three teams involved in tackling 'domestic extremism'

01 January 2011

Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

UK: Clean-up of covert policing ordered after Mark Kennedy revelations - Home Office minister Nick Herbert says Acpo will lose control of three teams involved in tackling 'domestic extremism' (Guardian, link). Tony Bunyan, author of The Political Police in Britain, comments:

"The idea that the Home Office did not know what the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) doing, because it got the status of private company in April 1997, when undertaking the infiltration of and spying on protest movements is sheer nonsense.

The Chief Constables Association was set up in 1896 covering cities and boroughs and the County Chief Constables Conference in 1920. The present day ACPO, founded in 1948, brought the two together and has provided a permanent link between the Home Office, which largely funds it, and UK police forces.

The notion that the transfer of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) to the Metropolitan Police will make these activities more accountable is highly doubtful. From 1883 onwards the Metropolitan Police Special Branch, with a national as well as a regional role, did exactly the same thing - spying on political and trade union movements, acting undercover, recruiting informers etc."

Our work is only possible with your support.
Become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

 Previous article

Greek police tortures "by mistake"

Next article 

UK: Undercover policeman married activist he was sent to spy on - Chief constable says relationships with targets in environmental movement 'grossly unprofessional'

 

Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.

Report error

Statewatch does not have a corporate view, nor does it seek to create one, the views expressed are those of the author. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement. Registered UK charity number: 1154784. Registered UK company number: 08480724. Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust. Registered office: MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DH. © Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X. Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law.

About | Contact | Privacy Policy