PSOOL WEBSITES & SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS

Website: https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk

Sister website: https://www.spycops.co.uk

Twitter:https://twitter.com/out_of_lives

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/policespiesoutoflives/

JUDICIARY, PARLIAMENT & LONDON ASSEMBLY

The legal actions around which PSOOL campaign are novel and ground-breaking. They include: 

Civil claims heard in Royal Courts of Justice.

Human Rights Act ongoing claim brought by Kate Wilson being heard in Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) (2019 – present). Judgment delivered November 2021. 

Criminal claim (ongoing) brought (2018) by ‘Monica’ under Sexual Offences Act 1956. 

Examples of claims referenced in legal text books, blogs and in Supreme Court judgement.                     

Women giving oral evidence to Home Affairs Select Committee 05.02.2013 –https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmhaff/837/130205i.htm

Home Affairs Select Committee Interim Report into Undercover Policing 26.2.13-https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmhaff/837/837.pdf

Caroline Lucas MP raises issue in parliament (2012); Baroness Jenny Jones questions in parliament and London assembly (2014 – present); ethics of undercover policing debated in both House of Commons and House of Lords (2015) 

Undercover Police Public Inquiry (est. 2015) – https://www.ucpi.org.uk

EXEMPLA MEDIA COVERAGE

Please note on the PSOOL website OUR STORIES [https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/our-stories/] includes a selection of women’s cases with links to relevant media coverage. Here are some examples.

Alison 

Andrea 

Helen

Jessica

Kate

Lisa

Monica

Rosa

DRAMA

Since the women’s stories first hit the news in 2011, dramatists and playwrights have chosen to include references to undercover police in intimate relationships reflecting the success of PSOOL mission to bring this police wrongdoing to the attention of the wider public. 

Any Means Necessary(2016) – play by Kefi Chadwick, inspired by the women’s stories, at Nottingham Playhouse https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/feb/10/any-means-necessary-review-kefi-chadwick-nottingham-playhouse

New Tricks: Deep Swimming(BBC 2014) – episode about Greenham Common – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_Tricks_episodes#Series_11_(2014)

Undercover(BBC 2016) – about undercover police officer who marries his target. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b076v9fd/undercover-episode-1

Informer(BBC 2018) – an ex undercover officer handles an informer and has a backstory about a relationship with a target –https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06lh76r

TESTIMONIALS

Funders

‘The panel were hugely impressed with your presentation… Your proposal is clear, well-reasoned and persuasive.’SMK Gas Fund feedback.

Partners

‘It has been a privilege to work with the women involved in Police Spies Out of Lives. Since we first launched the legal case in 2011, these women have been at the forefront of exposing the abusive practices of a hitherto secret unit within the police. The very well organised conference was an excellent opportunity for the women to foreground their experience and analysis within a wider political context. I am hugely impressed by the Spycops resource they have produced which I hope will help to bring this policing scandal to new audiences.’ – Harriet Wistrich, lawyer at Birnberg Peirce

Trade Union conference participants 2019

‘The Police Spies Out of Lives conference was a fantastic space  to continue the conversation into state power now, and focus minds on the hugely important historic cases that are being reviewed in the extremely delayed, hugely expensive public enquiry. The event was very well attended; the perfect environment for debate and
information sharing on this very important, yet very complex issue. It was clear that the people present were a mix of newcomers to this issue, and long term campaigners; brilliant dynamic that kept the conversations lively and focussed all day. The speakers were insightful, sometimes funny and often eye-opening.  I left with material to read, people to meet and stories to think about, and for that I’m very grateful. The best and most important cultural event I have been to, probably ever.’– Jamie Roberts, documentary filmmaker

‘This conference developed many of the issues discussed in the first event two years ago and showed how much the campaign groups have advanced in that time. The fact that there were parallel sessions to accommodate the different topics, that it was sold out, the range of speakers and the overall quality of the material was testament to all the work that has gone on. The new #spycops website is a professional, comprehensive and accessible resource and it was great to use the event to launch it. I look forward to seeing the momentum maintained as the UCPI starts taking evidence – this was a great way to keep pushing on all the different fronts to achieve the justice we deserve’.– Phil Chamberlain, Co-author Blacklisted.

‘The conference was a great success. It more than fulfilled its aim of increasing awareness of the impact of political policing on many progressive organisations, and on the trade union movement in particular. Many unions were represented and were well briefed by the conference organisers & speakers to enable wider dissemination of the issues raised. Of special importance was the launch of a well-researched & visually arresting timeline on the Spycops website. This traces the chronological unfolding of the undercover policing scandal & the ongoing campaign to expose it.’– Professor Mary Davis

Women attending PSOOL writing and campaign retreat – 2019

‘The experiences that we as a diverse group of women have had make for challenging reading. Some of us have had our stories reported extensively (although not always adequately or sympathetically) and some have never been given a platform for our words. It is difficult to explain our stories, and to find journalists that are unaffected by editorial pressures so as to report everything we wish to get across. Yet we have compelling stories. To be offered an opportunity to write, unmediated, completely in our own voices and individual styles, means a great deal. When complete, our writing can not only be used as a campaigning and learning tool, but as a means of healing from the huge injustices we have been subject to. Our weekend writing retreat gave us an invaluable start in the story-telling process. To be together, as a group of women with this highly unusual life experience in common, and with access to the advice of experienced writers, has been inspiring and remarkably productive. To be afforded the opportunity to concentrate exclusively on writing, and to be there to listen to, help and support each other has impacted hugely on our ability to begin to write in whatever way suits us most. The funding award has already made a lasting impact.’– Lindsey 

.

‘After years of wanting to write, but not knowing where to start, and feeling that I am not good at writing, this weekend has left me feeling confident about writing, with some really key techniques to help me. But most importantly, my story is now written in my own words, saying what I want to say, on paper in 3000 words. Fabulous. Thank you.’– Jane

‘This weekend has been great It was incredibly well organized. Meeting other women deceived into relationships was really inspiring, and being encouraged to write about our experiences was cathartic and creative. We are so grateful.’ – Bea

‘This retreat helped me face my anxieties in facing / revisiting my story and look at my old emails and journal entries. Knowing I was in a safe space where there were other women who had undergone the same experience made me feel less scared to confront the past. It softened the blow of any expected emotional impacts.’– Maya

SUPPORTING GROUPS

  • Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) -http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/
  • Undercover Research Group (URG) – https://undercoverresearch.net/
  • Blacklist Support Group (BSG) – https://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
  • Family justice campaigns – http://www.tmg-uk.org
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