Labour MSPs have lodged a motion at Holyrood demanding an inquiry to investigate the undercover policing operations in Scotland, after a list of more than 200 groups in England was revealed by the Guardian.
There are both political and non-political groups in England on the list compiled from the Pitchford inquiry which is ongoing, but there was no investigation into any such operations by the Metropolitan Police in Scotland. The MSPs say that the Scottish Government has only looked at Police Scotland’s operations and point out the gap in information.
Scottish Labour MSP Neil Findlay, said: “More than 200 community groups, trade unions, political activist groups and civil liberties organisations have been identified as targets of undercover policing stings in England by the Pitchford inquiry so far.
“As these operations begin to enter the public domain in England, victims of the same or similar operations in Scotland are left in the dark due to a gap in the inquiry’s remit.
“Many of these groups who were spied upon had members or branches in Scotland, yet there is no way currently of knowing if they also fell prey to infiltration by undercover officers.
“It is therefore vital that the Scottish Government now creates a parallel public inquiry to ensure victims of undercover policing in Scotland get the answers and justice they deserve.”
Scottish Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Daniel Johnson MSP, said: “Scotland’s victims of undercover police infiltration cannot be left in the dark.
“It is simply unacceptable for victims to be denied answers and justice because of their postcode.
“The Justice Secretary must look again at this issue and listen to Labour’s call for a parallel inquiry in Scotland.”
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