Former Economic League Chief Gives Evidence

JACK Winder - ex Economic League and Director of Caprim Ltd from 1994-2009, gave evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee investigation into blacklisting.  Winder told MPs he was officially invited to meet Jim Prior MP - first Employment Minister in the Thatcher government.  Main Caprim sectors: Agro-chemicals, Arms Industry, Pharmecutical.  Caprim clients included: Monsanto, Glaxo-Smith Kline, Rhone Poluenc, Rio-Tinto, JP Morgan. 

Winder denied that Caprim were a blacklisting organisation because they kept files on organisations such as campaign against the Arms Trade or Greenpeace - not individuals.  Winder told MPs that the League had good relations with certain trade union leaders who felt they had problems with the far left:

Leif Mills, ex-General Secretary of the banking union who became TUC president in the mid 1990s,

Eric Hammond ex-General Secretary of the electricians union - expelled by the TUC because of his collusion with Murdoch over Wapping.

Dennis Mills, from the midlands region of TGWU

Kate Losinska, who was head of the Civil and Public Services Association. 

Winder admitted having contacts and holding regular meetings with Metropolitan Police, West Midlands and Scottish Special Branch at least up to 1994. Some meetings took place in a pub next to Scotland Yard. The Anti-Apartheid Movement were considered communists. 
The Economic League was toxic but Sir Robert McAlpine paid £10,000 to set up 2 separate off-shoot companies in secret, led by people who previously worked for the League to carry on the same work as the League.  Sir Henry Saxon Tate (of the Tate & Lyle sugar dynasty), previous Chair of the Economic League was a Director of Caprim.

Co-founder Stan Hardy gave up Caprim Ltd Directorship to go to Institute of Directors.

Jack Bramwell - security specialist for Caprim did work investigating GM Crops activists.

Web link to evidence: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=12511

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