Undercover political policing scandal

Welcome to the one-stop spycops shop where we set out the key issues at the heart of the undercover political policing scandal that first hit the news in 2011. 

This resource has been produced by Police Spies Out of Lives, the campaign and support group for women affected by intimate relationships with undercover police officers. Included are the voices of a range of people affected by the abusive practices of the Metropolitan Police Special Branch since 1968, and by the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPIOU) controlled by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

Whilst human interest stories about undercover officers spying on grieving families, stealing dead children’s identities and embarking on long-term, deceptive relationships with activists have hit the headlines, the political significance of this on-going scandal struggles to reach the wider public. We hope this resource will go some way to highlight why everyone who cares about democracy and the right to protest should know about spycops and this undercover political policing scandal.


Police Spies Out of Lives is extremely grateful for the generous funding from the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust, that has enabled us to produce this resource in partnership with individuals and organisations affected.