Operation Herne, is a police inquiry that is looking into allegations of undercover policing. Although the inquiry is still ongoing, public statements have already been made by the police denying any police involvement in the blacklisting of workers.
In August 2013, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), acting on a complaint from the Blacklist Support Group (BSG), admitted that Special Branch had routinely provided information about prospective employees. This was categorically denied by the police at the time. A further inquiry into undercover policing, is being carried out by Lord Justice Pitchford. The Blacklist Support Group have been given core participant status in the inquiry.
Operation Herne, is viewed by some with scepticism and by others, as the police preparing their defence for the Pitchford public inquiry. It manages to pretty much rubbish everything that the whistle-blower Peter Francis says including any police involvement with blacklisting. It was published on the very same day as the Ellison report which pretty much said that Peter Francis was credible and that there should be further investigation. Teresa May ignored the Operation Herne report and announced the public inquiry the same day. But it gives a date at which Herne dismisses police collusion with blacklisting, so might be useful.
A BBC 2 documentary, 'True Spies', (see above) broadcast in 2002, focused on how Special Branch had helped to blacklist what was termed 'potentially troublesome employees' at Fords and had pressed the BBC not to hire 'left wingers'. In the documentary, ex-Special Branch officers openly talk about spying on trade unions and assisting in the blacklisting of perceived trouble makers by providing a vetting service to major employers.
In August 2013, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), acting on a complaint from the Blacklist Support Group (BSG), admitted that Special Branch had routinely provided information about prospective employees. This was categorically denied by the police at the time. A further inquiry into undercover policing, is being carried out by Lord Justice Pitchford. The Blacklist Support Group have been given core participant status in the inquiry.
Operation Herne, is viewed by some with scepticism and by others, as the police preparing their defence for the Pitchford public inquiry. It manages to pretty much rubbish everything that the whistle-blower Peter Francis says including any police involvement with blacklisting. It was published on the very same day as the Ellison report which pretty much said that Peter Francis was credible and that there should be further investigation. Teresa May ignored the Operation Herne report and announced the public inquiry the same day. But it gives a date at which Herne dismisses police collusion with blacklisting, so might be useful.
A BBC 2 documentary, 'True Spies', (see above) broadcast in 2002, focused on how Special Branch had helped to blacklist what was termed 'potentially troublesome employees' at Fords and had pressed the BBC not to hire 'left wingers'. In the documentary, ex-Special Branch officers openly talk about spying on trade unions and assisting in the blacklisting of perceived trouble makers by providing a vetting service to major employers.
2. BBC TV documentary True Spies
This link is episode 2 of 3
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