Police spies infiltrated UK leftwing groups for decades – The Guardian

‘Police deployed 24 undercover officers to infiltrate a small leftwing political party over a 37-year period, the Guardian can reveal. The police spies infiltrated the Socialist Workers party (SWP) almost continuously between 1970 and 2007, often with more than one undercover officer embedded within the party.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

MI5 provides immunity for agents’ criminal acts, tribunal told – The Guardian

‘MI5 grants its informants legal cover to participate in crimes that may extend to murder, torture and sexual assaults, a tribunal has heard.’

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The Guardian, 4th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

SFO increasingly using power to demand information without court approval – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 27th, 2018 in disclosure, investigatory powers, news, Serious Fraud Office by tracey

‘The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is increasingly using its powers to demand information from large businesses without the need to ask for court approval, new data has shown.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th September 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Covert surveillance and covert human intelligence sources codes of practice – Official Publications

Posted September 27th, 2018 in codes of practice, intelligence services, investigatory powers, news by tracey

‘Guidance on the use of covert surveillance or human intelligence sources by public authorities under part 2 of RIPA 2000.’

Full text

Official publications, 20th September 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/government/publications/

Privacy International v Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs & ors – Blackstone Chambers

‘The Investigatory Powers Tribunal has given its third judgment in this case concerning the collection and use of bulk communications data (‘BCD’) and bulk personal datasets (‘BPD’) by the Security and Intelligence Agencies (MI5, MI6 and GCHQ – the ‘SIAs’).’

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Blackstone Chambers, 21st July 2018

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

Transparency report on disruptive and investigatory powers published – Home Office

Posted July 24th, 2018 in intelligence services, investigatory powers, press releases, reports by tracey

The government has published the third iteration of its transparency report on the use of disruptive and investigatory powers.’

Full press release

Home Office, 23rd July 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

HMRC seeking ‘unprecedented’ information request powers – OUT-LAW.com

‘HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the UK is seeking “unprecedented” powers to obtain information about taxpayers without independent oversight from the tax tribunal, a tax expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th July 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Undercover policing inquiry: victims launch legal action – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2018 in diversity, inquiries, investigatory powers, news, police, victims by tracey

‘Victims of undercover police officers have started legal action against the home secretary over the troubled public inquiry into the conduct of police spies.’

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The Guardian, 5th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Undercover police whistleblower joins boycott of inquiry – The Guardian

Posted May 10th, 2018 in inquiries, investigatory powers, news, police, whistleblowers by sally

‘A former undercover police officer who has become a whistleblower has joined a boycott of a public inquiry into the covert infiltration of political groups, saying it was concealing the state’s misconduct.’

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The Guardian, 9th May 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Privacy Rights: How should a court remedy legislative incompatibility with EU law? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R (The National Council for Civil Liberties (Liberty)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department & Anor [2018] EWHC 975 (Admin) (27 April 2018). In the first phase of Liberty’s landmark challenge to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (“IPA”), Singh LJ and Holgate J sitting as a Divisional Court have granted a declaration that in the area of criminal justice, Part 4 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is, in part, incompatible with EU law. Other parts of Liberty’s challenge to the IPA will be considered at a later date.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 8th May 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Metropolitan Police’s ‘racially discriminatory’ gangs database failing to tackle violence, report finds – The Independent

‘Scotland Yard is listing thousands of children and young men on a “racially discriminatory” database that is failing to tackle rising violence in London, a new report has found.’

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The Independent, 9th May 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Undercover relationship woman wants officer prosecution – BBC News

‘An environmental campaigner who says she was tricked into a sexual relationship with an undercover police officer is mounting a legal challenge to have him prosecuted. The woman, known as Monica, will ask judges to overturn prosecutors’ decision not to charge the Metropolitan Police’s Jim Boyling.’

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BBC News, 1st May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Both sides claim victory in surveillance law challenge – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A High Court ruling today in the latest crowd-funded challenge to the government’s powers to monitor electronic communications has left both sides claiming victory. Ruling in Liberty v Home Office, Lord Justice Singh and Mr Justice Holgate ordered the government to amend a provision of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 granting powers to require telecoms operators to store records of communications, including tracking information and web browsing.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 27th April 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Undercover policing inquiry: Chairman urged to quit – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2018 in anonymity, demonstrations, disclosure, inquiries, investigatory powers, news, police by sally

‘Campaigners have walked out of a public inquiry into undercover policing, demanding that the chairman stand down or appoint a full panel.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Four large black men’ at inquest followed by police, hearing told – The Guardian

Posted February 28th, 2018 in death in custody, inquests, investigatory powers, news, police, racism by sally

‘Police launched an unauthorised surveillance operation at short notice after they became concerned about the presence of “four large black men” at an inquest into a death in custody, a misconduct panel has heard.’

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The Guardian, 27th February 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court: legal privilege can apply to internal investigations on the right set of facts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 5th, 2018 in corruption, investigatory powers, news, privilege, taxation by sally

‘The High Court has confirmed that legal privilege can apply to investigations on the right set of facts, restoring some certainty to a position that has been up for debate since May 2017.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th February 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Code of practice issued under section 377A of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 – Official Publications

‘This amended code provides guidance on the use of investigation powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 by prosecutors (in England and Wales and Northern Ireland) and has been updated following amendment of POCA by the Criminal Finances Act 2017.’

Full press release

Official Publications, 31st January 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/government/publications

UK mass digital surveillance regime ruled unlawful – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2018 in data protection, investigatory powers, news, privacy, terrorism by sally

‘Appeal court judges have ruled the government’s mass digital surveillance regime unlawful in a case brought by the Labour deputy leader, Tom Watson.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sadiq Khan to ‘significantly increase’ stop and search in London – The Independent

Posted January 11th, 2018 in crime prevention, investigatory powers, London, news, police, stop and search by tracey

‘There will be a “significant increase” in targeted stop and searches by police in London as part of efforts to combat rising violent crime, Sadiq Khan has said.’

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The Independent, 10th January 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Undercover policeman’s son sues force after discovering his father was an officer ‘left him with depression’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 5th, 2017 in compensation, families, investigatory powers, mental health, news, police by tracey

‘A man who says he suffered a depressive illness as a result of discovering his father was an undercover police officer rather than a political activist has won the latest round of a High Court compensation battle with the Metropolitan Police.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th December 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk