Campaign news

Support Dave Smith. Protest against blacklisting

24th March 2015

Support Dave Smith. Protest against blacklisting

By Blacklist Support Group

Dave Smith, Blacklist Support Group Secretary, was arrested on 18th March, at the Hilton Hotel building awards protest and charged with obstructing a public highway.

Please support Dave and show some solidarity for our brother:
Gather outside Marylebone Magistrates Court 181 Marylebone Road NW1 5QJ
FRIDAY 27TH MARCH AT 8AM. The case starts at 9am

Dave has been an incredible stalwart and working class hero all his working life, especially in the last 4 years assisting the construction rank and file. His work to expose blacklisting has been tremendous. The BSG would be nowhere if it wasn’t for Dave’s determination to expose blacklisting.  Its high the time the blacklisters who have ruined thousands of construction workers lives were charged and arrested for their crimes they are the real criminals not construction workers!
Just a few days before he was arrested John McDonnell MP chaired the official book launch of ‘Blacklisted’ by Dave Smith and Phil Chamberlain published by New Internationalist. The event highlighted the “heroic campaign” undertaken by all those involved with the book and stated that ‘Blacklisted’ will help “right some of the wrongs” individuals fighting for justice have faced for many years.
The book exposes the illegal blacklisting scandal orchestrated by the largest multinataional construction companies in the UK including Sir Robert McAlpine, Carillion, Costain, Balfour Beatty, Skanska and Kier. The book provides previously unseen documentary evidence about the role of undercover police spying units in colluding the blacklisting conspiracy.

John McDonnell read out a statement from ex-undercover police officer turned whistleblower, Peter Francis. He said: 
“I am humbled as well as honoured to be offered to speak tonight at such an important book launch here at the prestigious House of Commons.

However I cannot appear here for a number of reasons, including and primarily, because of some very serious outstanding legal issues/difficulties with the Metropolitan Police, that continue to hang over me ever since I became a whistleblower and therefore a potential criminal in their eyes.

I have received clear legal advice that me, even speaking here today, is likely to be considered a breach of the Official Secrets Act because I have not been granted permission from the Metropolitan Police or Home Secretary to speak to you. 

This remarkable, well-researched and must-read book clearly shows how police spying on political activists has destroyed lives and that I, most unfortunately and regrettably, played a part in this.
 
I would also like take this opportunity to unreservedly apologise to all the union members I personally spied upon and reported back on whilst deployed undercover in the SDS. 

Including those not only engaged in working in the construction industry but also those in the National Union of Students (NUS), National Union of Teachers (NUT), Communication Workers Union (CWU), UNISON and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). 

Yours in solidarity. Because at this precise moment in time, before the public inquiry, there is “No Justice”, there is “Just US”.  Peter FRANCIS former SDS undercover Police Spy and now Police Whistleblower