FORMER prime minister Harold Wilson praised Britain’s intelligence surveillance of a seafarers’ strike in the 1960s, according to Declassified UK.

The Labour leader also backed MI5’s blacklisting of a human rights lawyer from being appointed solicitor general over his marriage to an Italian anti-fascist activist, secret files obtained by the publication revealed yesterday.

MI5 spies were regularly summoned to 10 Downing Street for clandestine meetings with Mr Wilson to share material on striking seamen.