AN UNDERCOVER police officer admitted spying on Sir Keir Starmer while he was a barrister for two environmental campaigners fighting the McLibel case in the early 1990s, a public inquiry has heard.

The spy cop said he accessed confidential details of the legal advice the prime minister gave to Helen Steel and Dave Morris after they were sued for libel by McDonalds.

The contents of his free advice were then relayed by the spy to his managers in a covert Scotland Yard unit, the inquiry heard.