The Undercover Policing Inquiry recently disclosed the closing report of the Special Demonstration Squad, written in 2008. Returning regular guest Donal O'Driscoll https://x.com/petersalmon7 of the Undercover Research Group sits down with regular host Tom Fowler https://linktr.ee/tombfowler to review it's contents. They discuss what the substance of the report reveals, how the authorities knew about the unit's malpractices years earlier than claimed and if published sooner, why the conclusions feel prescient about the outcomes of any report on the first three tranches of the Inquiry. You can download and read the report for yourself https://ucpi.org.uk/publications/sds-closing-report Tranche 3 of the inquiry is currently ongoing, with both Donal and Tom attending every day of hearings, you can keep up with all the coverage by following the social media links on our newly relaunched website https://spycops.info The thumbnail is of a Special Branch commemorative retirement gift watch, it's is unknown if these were issued to former SDS officers or not.

Legendary activist and one of the most spied upon people in the UK, Dave Morris https://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/tag/dave-morris sits down with regular host Tom Fowler https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler to discuss the successes that have been achieved in holding the spycops to account. From his vantage point as a veteran of fighting through the legal system, and a litigant in person at the Undercover Policing Inquiry, Dave reflects on ten years at the UCPI and points out the many ways in which those who were targets of the state have won significant victories throughout the process. Dave's prominence in anarchist activism https://radicalhistorynetwork.blogspot.com/2024/04/dave-morris-tottenham-community.htm has meant his name appears in numerous undercover police reports during every era https://ucpi.org.uk/individuals_name/dave-morris, having been involved in projects from London Workers Group and Anarchy magazine https://libcom.org/tags/dave-morris to London Greenpeace and McLibel https://mcspotlight.org, he is still active with Haringey Solidarity Group https://haringey.org.uk.

A new immersive theatrical production about political repression, blacklisting and undercover police by Common/Wealth is due to open in October 2025. https://commonwealththeatre.co.uk/shows/demand-the-impossible/ Rhiannon White https://linktr.ee/rhi_annon_white, Hussina Raja https://hussinaraja.com, Bianca Ali https://instagram.com/bitchinwithbianca and Soul Roberts https://instagram.com/soulroberts1 sit down with regular hosts Chris Brian https://x.com/bristolnoborder of the Undercover Research Group and Tom Fowler https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler to discuss how they came to be making a play on this topic and what they are hoping to communicate to audiences.

With the return of the Undercover Policing Inquiry only a month away, Chris Brian https://x.com/bristolnoborder of the Undercover Research Group and Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler discuss all the news that has come out over the summer and preview the next set of hearings. https://ucpi.org.uk/2025/08/18/inquiry-announces-updates-to-the-tranche-3-phase-1-hearings-schedule/ Three former undercover officers will be giving evidence before Christmas 2025, James Thomson, Peter Francis and Mark Cassidy. https://powerbase.info/index.php/James_Straven_(alias) https://theguardian.com/uk/peter-francis https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/our-stories/alisons-story-new/ If you'd like to support Tom's work https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler or Chris' running: https://justgiving.com/page/chris-brian-2

Tenacious researcher and persistent investigator into police, justice and secret service activities Eveline Lubbers https://x.com/evelinelubbers from the Undercover Research Group joins regular host Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler to talk about the new extensive resource website for all things undercover policing https://spycopsresearch.info She also talks about her background in the Amsterdam squatter movement as part of the legendary Buro Jansen & Janssen in the 1980s leading to her involved in McSpotlight in the 1990s https://mcspotlight.org We also chat about the upcoming 'Demand The Impossible' theatre production https://commonwealththeatre.co.uk/shows/demand-the-impossible/

Following an open letter from Core Participants https://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/03/10/treat-us-fairly-demand-spycops-inquiry-participants/, the Chair of the Undercover Policing Inquiry John Mitting called a directional hearing. Chris Brian https://x.com/bristolnoborder from the Undercover Research Group sat down with Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler to discuss what happened. With voices from coverage from the day including Zoe Young https://x.com/zoeyou, James Simpson https://x.com/jameshsimpson, Kate Wilson https://x.com/fruitbatmania, "Jessica" https://x.com/jessica_me2, Ben https://x.com/GringoBen, Mr Abney https://x.com/MrAbney1904. Hearings at the inquiry are not meant to return until October 2025, in the meantime you can support more episodes of this podcast at https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler

First appearance on the podcast by Liz Fuller https://x.com/Lizfuller1, a woman who was deceived by HN1 into a long term intimate relationship, she joins with Chris Brian https://x.com/bristolnoborder from the Undercover Research Group and Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler to discuss both his recent appearance giving evidence at the undercover policing inquiry and her own. More information on the undercover officer HN1 who used the cover name "Matt Rayner": https://powerbase.info/index.php/Matt_Rayner_(alias) https://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/tag/matt-rayner/ Credit for the cover illustration to Oliver Saunders KC who's suggestion of aging an old photograph of HN1 was presented to a free online AI.

The second part of our mini-series on the senior officers from the early days of the Special Demonstration Squad. We now go on to the "backroom fixer' Phil Saunders who was singled out for critism in the interim report from the inquiry. Chris Brian x.com/bristolnoborder from the Undercover Research Group continues the conversation with Tom Fowler x.com/tombfowler. Inquiry documents relating to Phil Saunders: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/individuals/hn-1251/

First in a mini-series on the Special Branch cops that shaped the Special Demonstration Squad. Starting with the 'Brash Chancer' Conrad Dixon who claimed to have founded the unit. Chris Brian https://x.com/bristolnoborder from the Undercover Research Group returns to "go retro" with Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler and have a look at the early days of the spycops unit. Inquiry documents relating to Dixon: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/individuals/hn-325/

The Undercover Policing Inquiry was meant to return for Phase two of Tranche two on Monday 30th September, but it didn't. Kate Wilson https://x.com/fruitbatmania joins Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler to discuss why that is, and look at all the goings on behind the scenes that show just how dysfunctional the whole process has been. Tranche 2 Phase 2 will now start on Monday 14th October, with live hearings starting on Monday 21st October at the International Dispute Resolution Centre, London. You can register now https://www.ucpi.org.uk/2024/09/27/registration-open-for-inquirys-tranche-2-phase-2-hearings/

Regular member of the podcasting team "Jessica" https://x.com/Jessica_me2 sits in the pub with Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler and chats about her upcoming appearance at the Undercover Policing Inquiry where she will be called to give evidence about the undercover police officer Andy Coles, who used the cover name "Andy Davey" but is better known in activist circles these days as "Shitface". Jessica's Story: https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/our-stories/jessicas-story-2/

An interview with "Jenny" who recently gave evidence to the Undercover Policing Inquiry about her relationship with spycops officer HN78 Trevor Morris who she knew as "Bobby McGee". https://ucpi.org.uk/individuals/hn-78/ To respect her anonymity, the words of "Jenny" have been voiced by the wonderful actor Maxine Peake https://instagram.com/betteblavatsky who reenacts the original interview from the transcript. Regular host Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler plays himself. You can hear "jenny" give evidence to the inquiry https://youtube.com/live/60H07NJ9Qtw?si=pReVmsGZbn3LiinR&t=1080 You can watch the 3 days of Trevor Morris giving evidence too: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVuh3DVqvi5NLSplhL1ABr-RQEx-zg5UK This episode was made in conjunction with regular collaborators Police Spies Out Of Lives https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk You can support this podcast at https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler

"Carlton King" is a recent alias of former SDS officer HN78 Trevor Morris, who was deployed in the early 90s against anti-racists and family justice campaigns. Using the identity of a dead child "Anthony Lewis" also going by "Bobby Lewis or more often "Bobby McGee", Morris has admitted to sexually abusing two women in the groups he infiltrated. https://www.ucpi.org.uk/individuals/hn-78/ Despite publishing an autobiography https://google.co.uk/books/edition/Black_Ops/nH3lnAAACAAJ and appearing in 100s of podcast episodes under the "Carlton King" identity https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-black-spy-podcast/id1581778436 Morris was not questioned about any of this when called to give evidence to the Undercover Policing Inquiry. BristleKRS https://x.com/BristleKRS joins regulars "Jessica" https://x.com/Jessica_me2 and Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler to discuss what the inquiry either carelessly missed or wilfully ignored. You can watch Trevor Morris three days of evidence to the UCPI here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVuh3DVqvi5NLSplhL1ABr-RQEx-zg5UK You can support this podcast at https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler

HN95 Stefan Scutt / Stefan Wesolowski was one of the strangest spycops we've come across so far. Donal O'Driscoll https://x.com/PeterSalmon7 of the Undercover Research Group joins usual host Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler to discuss the evidence that was recently introduced by the Undercover Policing Inquiry. https://www.ucpi.org.uk/individuals/hn-95/ You can read the report on that evidence from the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance: https://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/tag/stefan-scutt/#hn95 You can support this podcast at https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler

Roger Pearce is the first undercover SDS officer to give evidence during tranche 2 of the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Your usual host Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler is joined by "Jessica" https://x.com/jessica_me2, Kate Wilson https:// x.com/fruitbatmania, and Ben to discuss the live evidence of him and the anarchists he spied on. You can read a full report of the first week of the inquiry from the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance: http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2024/07/14/ucpi-weekly-report-9-8-11-july-2024/ You can support this podcast at https://ko-fi.com/tombfowler

The Undercover Policing Inquiry has returned for "Tranche 2" looking at the Special Demonstration Squad between 1983-1982. "Phase 1" is about to start the live evidence hearing. Your usual host Tom Fowler https://x.com/tombfowler is joined by Eveline Lubbers https://x.com/evelinelubbers, Kate Wilson https://x.com/fruitbatmania, and Ben to discuss what we made of the the Opening Statements and what to expect at the live evidence hearings. You can read a summary of the opening statements here: http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2024/07/07/ucpi-weekly-report-8-1-3-july-2024/ And read a visitors guide to the hearings here: https://ko-fi.com/post/UCPI-July-2024-A-visitors-guide-D1D6Z4FRI

The Undercover Policing Inquiryhas delivered it's interim report, covering "Tranche 1" looking at the Special Demonstration Squad between 1968-1982. Your usual hosts Chris Brian and Tom Fowler are joined by "Jessica" twitter.com/Jessica_me2 and Kate Wilson twitter.com/fruitbatmania(& Ben) to discuss what in and been missed in the report and what we all make of it. You can read a summary of the report here: https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/summary-of-ucpi-interim-report-june-2023/ And see the press conference at the launch of the report https://www.youtube.com/live/s8BkdBkjAOA

The Undercover Policing Inquiry is currently on Tranche 1, Phase 3, looking at Special Demonstration Squad managers 1968-1982. Like all phases of the inquiry, it begins with opening statements. This episode is the audio version of the daily reports from the opening statements. You can read them here: Day 1: http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2022/05/09/ucpi-daily-report-9-may-2022/ Day 2: http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2022/05/10/ucpi-daily-report-10-may-2022/ Day 3: http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2022/05/11/ucpi-daily-report-11-may-2022/

The next hearing of the inquiry will be taking place from Monday 9th May. In this show we preview what we might find out from the line up of mostly ex-managers from the Special Demonstration Squad 1968-82 giving evidence in these hearings. Also taking a look at the many lies of someone who won't be able to give evidence, founder of the SDS, and author of his own fictional obituary, Conrad Dixon. https://www.ucpi.org.uk/publications/the-times-published-obituary-of-conrad-dixon/ We mention the two exciting books that have recently been published: Small Town Girl by Donna Mclean https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/donna-mclean/small-town-girl/9781529379853/ and Deep Deception by Alison, Belinda, Helen Steel, Lisa and Naomi. http://smarturl.it/DeepDeceptionHB

Despite the numerous deployments of undercover police officers in Scotland, the Public Inquiry is only concerned with events in England and Wales. Tilly Gifford, raised a judicial review at the Court of Session to challenge the decision of the Home Office not to examine the role of covert policing north of the border. She also challenged the Scottish Government’s decision not to hold a public inquiry on the same issue. Find out more: https://www.pilc.org.uk/public-inquiries/undercover-policing-inquiry-scotland/ Tilly previous appeared in episode 22 https://soundcloud.com/spycops/episode-22-informers-infiltrators-grasses-part-4-tilly-gifford