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| Stephen Lawrence's father demands judicial inquiry into police spying | Stephen Lawrence's father demands judicial inquiry into police spying |
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| The home secretary, Theresa May, came under pressure from the father of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence to set up an independent inquiry into the Guardian's revelations that undercover police spied on and attempted to smear his family. | The home secretary, Theresa May, came under pressure from the father of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence to set up an independent inquiry into the Guardian's revelations that undercover police spied on and attempted to smear his family. |
| Neville Lawrence was responding after May made an emergency statement to parliament, telling MPs that the disclosures from a police whistleblower, Peter Francis, would be investigated by two existing inquiries. | Neville Lawrence was responding after May made an emergency statement to parliament, telling MPs that the disclosures from a police whistleblower, Peter Francis, would be investigated by two existing inquiries. |
| Speaking from his home in Jamaica on Monday, Lawrence said he found May's proposal "completely unsatisfactory". He said: "I am convinced that nothing short of a judge-led public inquiry will suffice and I have no confidence that the measures announced today will get to the bottom of this matter." | Speaking from his home in Jamaica on Monday, Lawrence said he found May's proposal "completely unsatisfactory". He said: "I am convinced that nothing short of a judge-led public inquiry will suffice and I have no confidence that the measures announced today will get to the bottom of this matter." |
| The home secretary said an existing inquiry by Mark Ellison QC into allegations of corruption and incompetence by officers investigating Lawrence's murder would now be widened to incorporate claims that undercover police spied on the family. She added that Ellison should "go as far and wide as he would like". | The home secretary said an existing inquiry by Mark Ellison QC into allegations of corruption and incompetence by officers investigating Lawrence's murder would now be widened to incorporate claims that undercover police spied on the family. She added that Ellison should "go as far and wide as he would like". |
| However, she otherwise resisted calls for a wider independent inquiry, saying instead that the spying allegations would also be looked at by an existing internal Metropolitan police review, Operation Herne, led by the chief constable of Derbyshire, Mick Creedon. | However, she otherwise resisted calls for a wider independent inquiry, saying instead that the spying allegations would also be looked at by an existing internal Metropolitan police review, Operation Herne, led by the chief constable of Derbyshire, Mick Creedon. |
| Herne is also investigating how undercover police used the identities of dead children and developed long-term sexual relationships with people they spied on. | Herne is also investigating how undercover police used the identities of dead children and developed long-term sexual relationships with people they spied on. |
| May told MPs: "I know that the house will agree with me about the seriousness of allegations concerning police corruption and wrongdoing. We must be ruthless in purging such behaviour from its ranks." | May told MPs: "I know that the house will agree with me about the seriousness of allegations concerning police corruption and wrongdoing. We must be ruthless in purging such behaviour from its ranks." |
| She also warned that further revelations about the activities of undercover police were likely. "Given the nature of those allegations and the many years the Special Demonstration Squad was in existence, we should not be surprised if further allegations are made. And I want to be clear that all such allegations will be investigated." | She also warned that further revelations about the activities of undercover police were likely. "Given the nature of those allegations and the many years the Special Demonstration Squad was in existence, we should not be surprised if further allegations are made. And I want to be clear that all such allegations will be investigated." |
| David Cameron said the revelations would be immediately investigated. The prime minister said: "Let's be clear, these are absolutely dreadful allegations and we can only think of the Lawrence family, who have suffered so much already from the loss of their son. | David Cameron said the revelations would be immediately investigated. The prime minister said: "Let's be clear, these are absolutely dreadful allegations and we can only think of the Lawrence family, who have suffered so much already from the loss of their son. |
| "To hear that, potentially, the police that were meant to be helping them were actually undermining them – that's horrific … We must make sure those investigations get rapidly to the bottom of what's happened and we get the full truth out." | "To hear that, potentially, the police that were meant to be helping them were actually undermining them – that's horrific … We must make sure those investigations get rapidly to the bottom of what's happened and we get the full truth out." |
| Labour called for a wider independent inquiry into the allegations of spying on the Lawrence family, and the campaign to bring his murderers to justice. | Labour called for a wider independent inquiry into the allegations of spying on the Lawrence family, and the campaign to bring his murderers to justice. |
| The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said it was "unclear" which of the two inquiries – Ellison's or Creedon's – would take the lead. "What we need is a specific and independent investigation into these allegations," she said. "And we do too need a clear timetable of getting to the truth." | The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said it was "unclear" which of the two inquiries – Ellison's or Creedon's – would take the lead. "What we need is a specific and independent investigation into these allegations," she said. "And we do too need a clear timetable of getting to the truth." |
| May replied that the two inquiries would work in parallel. "I'm clear from having spoken to Ellison and Creedon that they are working together, there has been a degree of interaction between the two." | May replied that the two inquiries would work in parallel. "I'm clear from having spoken to Ellison and Creedon that they are working together, there has been a degree of interaction between the two." |
| The vast bulk of the Creedon inquiry is being conducted by the Met's internal complaints department, although a handful of strands are being supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which said on Monday that it was examining "the activities of four former undercover officers". Scotland Yard has indicated that Operation Herne is not due to conclude until 2016. | The vast bulk of the Creedon inquiry is being conducted by the Met's internal complaints department, although a handful of strands are being supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which said on Monday that it was examining "the activities of four former undercover officers". Scotland Yard has indicated that Operation Herne is not due to conclude until 2016. |
| Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said he was coming to the view that a full public inquiry into the use of undercover officers is required. He said: "I think the time has come to look seriously at a public inquiry into the use of undercover agents." | Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said he was coming to the view that a full public inquiry into the use of undercover officers is required. He said: "I think the time has come to look seriously at a public inquiry into the use of undercover agents." |
| The former director of public prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, called for a public inquiry, as did Peter Francis, the former police undercover officer behind the latest disclosures. Since January 2011, 15 private inquiries have been set up by the authorities to investigate allegations surrounding the work of the undercover officers. | The former director of public prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, called for a public inquiry, as did Peter Francis, the former police undercover officer behind the latest disclosures. Since January 2011, 15 private inquiries have been set up by the authorities to investigate allegations surrounding the work of the undercover officers. |
| Boris Johnson, the London mayor, said: "I cannot think of anything more despicable than the police attempting to smear Stephen Lawrence's family. | Boris Johnson, the London mayor, said: "I cannot think of anything more despicable than the police attempting to smear Stephen Lawrence's family. |
| "If there was a campaign to discredit those seeking justice, we need to know what the orders were and who gave them. We need to know whether there was any criminal activity, and we shouldn't rule out the possibility of criminal proceedings." | "If there was a campaign to discredit those seeking justice, we need to know what the orders were and who gave them. We need to know whether there was any criminal activity, and we shouldn't rule out the possibility of criminal proceedings." |
| He said he had talked to the commissioner of the Metropolitan police, Bernard Hogan-Howe, "at length" last Friday after Scotland Yard had been asked by the Guardian and Channel 4's Dispatches for a response to the claims. "I've made it clear that we must get the answers that are needed now, not down the line," he said. | He said he had talked to the commissioner of the Metropolitan police, Bernard Hogan-Howe, "at length" last Friday after Scotland Yard had been asked by the Guardian and Channel 4's Dispatches for a response to the claims. "I've made it clear that we must get the answers that are needed now, not down the line," he said. |
| Hogan-Howe said he was "personally shocked" by the allegations that an undercover officer was told to find evidence that might smear the Lawrence family. | Hogan-Howe said he was "personally shocked" by the allegations that an undercover officer was told to find evidence that might smear the Lawrence family. |
| "The additional allegations that this was concealed from a public inquiry, and that Stephen's friend Duwayne Brooks was targeted, are also very serious. | "The additional allegations that this was concealed from a public inquiry, and that Stephen's friend Duwayne Brooks was targeted, are also very serious. |
| "If these allegations are true, it's a disgrace, and the Metropolitan Police Service will apologise." | "If these allegations are true, it's a disgrace, and the Metropolitan Police Service will apologise." |
| He added that he had referred the allegations to the IPCC. | He added that he had referred the allegations to the IPCC. |
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