SPECULATION is mounting that blacklist campaigners are being spied on by police after the Metropolitan Police yesterday refused to confirm or deny accusations against undercover units including special branch.

In response to a Freedom of Information Act request by investigative journalist Phil Chamberlain the Met quoted Section 24(2) of the Act claiming that it was in the “public interest” for them to refuse to “confirm or deny in order to safeguard national security.” 

The Met has been embroiled in a number of scandals in recent years over the use of undercover officers to infiltrate campaign groups.

A number of women activists are bringing legal action against the force after they unwittingly became involved in relationships with members of the undercover Special Demonstration Squad.

Earlier this year it also emerged that the Stephen Lawrence justice campaign had been targeted by undercover police.

As part of an investigation by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee it was alleged that members of the police National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit (Netcu) gave Powerpoint presentations to meetings of blacklisting organisation The Consulting Association. 

The association operated a database of over 3,000 construction workers and union representatives and was subscribed to by over 40 major construction firms with a view to weeding out so-called trouble makers.

When asked to respond to the allegation that Netcu shared information with the Consulting Association, the Met replied: “We do not discuss matters of intelligence.” 

A number of activists, including Blacklist Support Group secretary Dave Smith, state that they have been refused copies of their own personal police files made under Subject Access Requests on the basis that providing the documents may jeopardise ongoing criminal investigations. 

Mr Smith said: “It is without doubt that the police and security services are spying on trade unionists fighting for justice on the issue of blacklisting. 

"They have colluded with big business to deliberately target trade unionism over decades. Shrewsbury, Orgreave, Blacklisting; the list goes on and on.

“The refusal to provide any information whatsoever smacks of an establishment cover-up. Blacklisting is no longer an industrial relations issue — it is a human rights conspiracy.” 

Lawyers representing the Blacklist Support Group have submitted a complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission about the alleged role of the Met in blacklisting.