Thread by @copscampaign

Today we start hearing evidence in this round of the #SpyCopsInquiry

Starting at 10am is @LindseyAGerman - long-term member/ organiser of the @SWP_Britain - targeted by multiple #spycops over the decades

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain The @ucpinquiry has imposed a ten minute delay on all reporting, and on the youtube stream, which you can watch from 10:10 onwards - at

#SpyCopsInquiry
#spycops

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry In the mean time you can now download the witness statement of @LindseyAGerman from ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

#spycops

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry There is a whole bundle of evidence being released today - more details and links at ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @LindseyAGerman has provided an additional document as an aid for the Inquiry.
ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry This includes the number of racist murders known to have been committed in the years 1975-1983 – info from 'Violent Racism: Victimization, Policing and Social Context',a book by Benjamin Bowling, Oxford University Press, 1999.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry NB: The Home Office only began collecting data about racially motivated attacks in 1981: that year 26 people were killed.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry It also includes a detailed historical timeline taken from Roger Huddle and Red Saunders book:
'Reminiscences of RAR: Rocking Against Racism 1976 - 1982'

(published in 2016, reprinted by @Bookmarks_books in 2020).

bookmarksbookshop.co.uk/view/43647/Rem…

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Mitting has just appeared in the hearing room to warn us - in person this time - unlike the recorded video of last May - about the restriction orders in place and the 10 minute delay etc

#spycopsinquiry

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Dr German is fine with the Chair addressing her as Ms German today.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She will be questioned by Mr Barr today.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Before that, Mitting was keen to say something - he'd noticed that in her witness statement, she addresses various common misconceptions and preconceptions.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Mitting is keen to assure her that he and his team do not have such preconceived views.
He says that many of the questions she was asked under Rule 9 related to the contemporaneous documents which the Inquiry holds, and they wanted to give her a chance to respond to them.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr began by mentioning the “very fulsome witness statement” provided to the #aspycopsinquiry in February

It describes her “political awakening” and her involvement in a number of campaigns

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Lindsey German was born and grew up in West London, and left school in 1969. She was aware of political issues from an early age, including the racial prejudice suffered by Asian and black people, and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books As a teenager, she also learnt about colonialism, the system of apartheid in South Africa and white minority rule in Rhodesia (as Zimbabwe was called then), as well as segregation and the fight for civil rights in the United States.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The Vietnam war loomed large, and many young people were involved in campaigning against it.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books In her written statement, she observes that change often comes from below, and is opposed by those in power – there are few today who would seek to justify apartheid, for example, but then it was defended by governments, media and the Establishment generally.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The issues that caused Lindsey to become a socialist are still with us in many ways. The world is still manifestly unequal, and injustices abound, and she is proud of the role that she (and tens of thousands of other socialists) has played in trying to eradicate these.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She joined the International Socialists (IS) to organise for change. IS members sold papers, distributed leaflets, held meetings and were active in trade unions. All of these activities were lawful, and the organisation was not proscribed.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Demonstrating against fascists is both justified and necessary, and has a long tradition – eg Cable Street in 1936.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books We would not have the vote, or trade union rights, if our ancestors had not fought for these. Police infiltration of campaigning organisations is nothing new, but in a supposedly democratic society it is unacceptable.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Although we have been slurred, and blamed for violence, in most cases the violence has come from the police, or the fascists that they protect.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books I have no regrets about what I've done, and been involved with, over the past 50 years.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books German's first political involvement was in the Stop the 70s Tour movement – when she protested the tour of the South African rugby team. She recalls police violence against the 5000-strong demonstration outside Leicester's rugby union stadium.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She attended the London School of Economics from 1972, and remembers the three major industrial disputes of that year

Today she recalled the “very high level of industrial action” going on in 1972.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Asking about the @SWP_Britain

Barr: How big was the Central Committee?
About ten people.

Was that the ultimate executive decision making body?
Yes, it was the day to day organising body of the SWP

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books In answer to more of his questions, she explained that

Yes, the SWP is a revolutionary socialist movement, which aims to bring about a socialist society, through the self-emancipation of the working class.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She repeated that this can only be achieved through their struggle, and can't be substituted by any small group of people working on their behalf.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She explained more about the Party's aims

Yes, they would replace old institutions with new ones – a” higher form of democracy” than involves people being elected from their workplaces etc

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr: so, run by the people in the interests of the people, rather than in the interests of profit by a small elite?

German: Yes, that would be the ultimate aim – we're still a long way off – it would be a huge improvement on what we have now

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She admits that they didn't think this was really about to happen in 1979 or 1980.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr moved on to talk about the SWP's methods.

The SWP would try to build support by spreading their message, spreading their philosophy within the working class...

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books In what sort of places were they active?
Did this include schools?
Barr was keen to know

“We didn't have permanent organisation in schools but there were times when we were involved in activity around schools, particularly vs the National Front...” she replied

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books There were many many issues that they got involved in – for example abortion rights was a big campaign at this time

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Were you seeking to expand your membership?
Yes
Your organisation grew a great deal during the 70s didn't it?
Yes

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr asked if he had missed anything (!)
@LindseyAGerman wants him to look at it as a totality – it was all part of the same process

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books How hard did the SWP push?
“we were enthusiastic about what we did”

We supported strikers and we wanted those strikes to be successful.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books You would “turn out in force” to support them?

Yes, but it's important to remember that many strikes took place with relatively small picket lines
She recalled just 5 or 6 people at the Garners steak house picket lines in Central London

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books It was extremely important to confront the fascists, who were on the rise in this period – the NF etc modelled themselves on the way Hitler operated in the 30s with street violence etc

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books They chose to march through areas with large populations of black and Asian people, as a deliberately provocative act.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The SWP had revolutionary aims but were realistic about the likelihood of a socialist revolution so they also stood in elections.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books According to her, much of the campaigning they did was with the aim of strengthening the confidence of the working class to bring about change in future

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Was the use of force acceptable and necessary?

This needs to be looked at in context.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She talked about the experiences of the 1871 Paris Commune – had to be prepared to defend yourself against the army that was sent to defeat you

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Was there any question of the SWP using arms in the 70s?
Of course not – she retorted.
This would have been completely counter-productive and contrary to the traditional politics and approach of the SWP!

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Asked about her memories of the events of May 1968:

She actually went to France to improve her French in 1968 – the upsurge that began then was felt by people around the world.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She says it led to the development of big strikes in Britain and in Italy.
People were increasingly radicalised over political issues – not just apartheid

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books What was her high point of the 70s?

Probably the big strikes of 1972, which were successful

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The question of having a revolution is not about the people who call themselves revolutionaries, it's about the people who actually make it happen
Look at the situation in places like Mozambique ands Angola where there was mass disaffection

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr: Thatcher came to power in 1979. Is it fair to say that revolution felt a long way away at that point?

Yes, the Tory Government was “very dedicated to attacking working people” she agreed.
We now know about the Ridley plan. The miners' strike was a crucial point.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Would you describe your progress as moving forwards or backwards in the early 80s?
I think we came to the recognition very early on as an organisation that the working class movement was in retreat” she says

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books This retreat wasn't instant.
The riots of 1981 show that there were many people who were disaffected.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books What external support (from outside the country) did the SWP have?
Is it right to say that no nation state backed the SWP?

It's worth reiterating that we did not see any other nation state as a kind of model socialism – eg we saw the Soviet Union as a form of state capitalism

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Correct me if I'm wrong... but there was no state which supported Trotskyism?
To the best of German's knowledge, no (and if it had existed the SWP would surely have heard about it!)

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Completely different topic:
The SWP was easy to join, wasn't it?

Yes, it was – perhaps too easy <prompting laughter in the public gallery>

The SWP aimed to be open to new members – there was no exam!

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr: Lots of public meetings?

You know there were – you've seen the SDS reports of them!
We wanted to be an open organisation and let people participate in all aspects of what we were doing

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr brought up the 1978 National Delegate Conference and asked how worried they were about surveillance and security.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books There was the known threat of #blacklisting which prevented people from getting jobs
There was also a threat from the far-right.
We didn't want to be infiltrated by them or provide them with information about our members

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The Party did have private meetings and private discussions – not everything was out in the open, for perfectly understandable reasons

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Did the SWP have a negative view of the police?

"It would be fair to say that it's not an institution that we thought would actually benefit working class people."

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Did this mean you treated them as 'fair game' when you came across them in the streets?

Our experience was that the police would protect the demonstrations held by the fascists - our focus was on confronting the fascists and we would criticise the police for protecting them

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr: They also policed demos outside Conservative Party conferences – did you see this as them protecting the elite? Was it therefore seen as legitimate to push through their cordons?

It's important to make the distinction – we were demonstrating vs the Tories, not the police

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books He wanted to explore the idea of the 'united front' tactic.
(which is covered at some length in her witness statement)

Yes, it was to unite the working class on certain issues

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books We have already heard the evidence of Peter Hain, who was part of the Anti Nazi League (ANL) – he described the influence SWP members had over the ANL, and mentioned a conversation he had with an SWP-er about party members ensuring there wouldn't be violence at ANL events...?

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books German was not present at the conversation brought up in Hain's evidence.

She says that the SWP tried not to be sectarian with the ANL, but instead to broaden it out – this is why we involved so many people in it (some of whom were “a long way away politically from the SWP”)

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books To what extent was the the creation and existence of School Kids Against the |Nazis (SKAN) down to the SWP?

The SWP had members who were school students , and there was radicalisation amongst school students. Yes, we had some influence in SKAN but so did all sorts of people.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Same questions about the Womens Voice - was it created by the SWP?
It was slightly different “from what I would call a genuine united front”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books In her written statement she admits there were tensions between those who thought Womens Voice should be closely aligned with the SWP and those who thought it should be more autonomous.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books This acrimony eventually led to both the magazine and organisation being wound down and some people leaving the Party

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Asked about Piers Corbyn, and what he is reported to have said about the SWP:

"My only contact with him was when they organised a squat in Tolmers Square in the early 70s"

We didn't work with him much at all, it's just his opinion and I don't think he's correct

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr's line of questioning is interesting:

Was the SWP's involvement in CND overt or surreptitious?

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books What did you mean when you said that CND would be more effective if they were more militant?

We took part in CND, but wanted it to be more tied in to trade union/ working class action and those issues. - we wanted it to be more collective

Just small tactical differences

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr: Did you think they ought to get involved in direct action?

Well they were! - you can't say they weren't involved in direct action – eg the time when 100 of them were arrested for sitting down in Trafalgar Square in the 60s.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She noted that CND activists still carry out (and get arrested for) these kind of actions – they still go to Faslane for example, where Trident is based.

I think perhaps we wanted it to be more central to working class organisation. That's perhaps the best way I can describe it”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books What about the SWP's position on the IRA?

We saw a SDS report from the 1982 National Delegate conference [MPS-15994] ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She repeated what she'd said earlier about individual terrorism being counter-productive.

One section of this report was highlighted by Barr:
“99% of socialists in Northern Ireland support armed struggle. We should too. The party must hammer out, if possible...”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Did the SWP support armed struggle?

According to German, they had “unconditional but not uncritical support” for the provisional IRA – and says now that it was “absolutely necessary to have that position”.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The next report shown on screen was ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…
It mentions a social event at a SWP member's home.
It is reported that one attendee is drunk and boasts of being 'trusted by' the provisional IRA, and 'fully sympathetic' to their cause.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books How common were such views in the SWP?

The H blocks campaign and the hunger strikes were a huge issue at the time, and the SWP were involved in protesting about these and the right to political status for the prisoners

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books No the SWP did not provide practical or financial assistance to any paramilitary group.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books After a 15 min break, we moved on to examine the relationship between the SWP and the far-right.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books First of all, the events in Red Lion Square
It may seem amazing to us now, but the fascists were allowed to hold meetings in public venues, such as the one they planned to hold at Conway Hall in June 1974.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books At the time, German was a student at LSE, pretty close to Conway Hall, and the SWP and many other organisations mobilised a big counter-demonstration vs the fascists

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She recalls walking to the demo that day:
There were loads and loads of police vans, and a very heavy policing operation

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books “I'm not surprised that somebody died on that day" she says
It was very very heavily policed and in a very violent way”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The police were determined to facilitate the fascist event going ahead, which is why they set up such a huge operation

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books In her written statement, she gave an example of another anti-fascist counter demo, at Haggerston school in Hackney...

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books A number of anti-fascist protestors managed to occupy the venue, and so the fascists were forced to cancel their event.

If the police hadn't turned up at Conway Hall, that might have been the outcome that day as well.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books "We didn't go looking for trouble, we weren't the people who created the trouble."

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr:
Lord Scarman inquired into events at Red Lion Square, and he “fairly and squarely put the blame on the IMG” (International Marxist Group).
Do you accept his version of events - the IMG 'assaulting the police in an unexpected unprovoked and viciously violent attack” ?

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books "No – that's not an accurate description" she says, especially as
the person who was killed [Kevin Gately, a young student from Warwick] was an IMG member
"and they were demonstrating perfectly acceptably”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The police pursued people, attached them with truncheons, they threw people over railings (into the Theobalds Rd underpass), as German describes in her written statement

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr brought up a document that is NOT in today's bundle
[MPS-10659] - a report from 13/07/76 about a meeting about racism in Hackney where a “negress in the audience” was reported to state that black people in Brixton were arming themselves with 'knives and coshes'

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books German suggests that this “bizarre” report may not have been very accurate, based on her experience.
There is no real evidence so she takes this type of statement with a big pinch of salt.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She commented on the language used by the author of this report – “even in the 70s people didn't talk like that” - and stressed that the SWP thought that fighting the racists should be a collective thing, involving the trade unions etc.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books It was a dangerous time for socialists, as well as black and Asian people – people would be attacked by fascists on the tube for wearing anti-racist badges - “so we were very careful, we didn't want this to become a kind of individual gang fight between left and right”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books What was the Central Committe's line on the events in Lewisham in 1977?
Lindsey was at a by-election in Birmingham at the time, and wasn't a member of the Central Committee until 1979...

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She knew that it was an important issue for the party.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Did the SWP encourage people to attend the Alkaraf demo in the morning, or the gathering at Lewisham, or both?
#
People went to both. Just attending the Alkaraf demo and not trying to prevent the fascists from marching would have been a mistake.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She went into more detail about why they thought it was so important to oppose this demonstration – the fascists deliberately chose to walk through these areas (where multicultural communities lived
as a provocative and intimidating act.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books “A lot of the questions this morning have been about my politics.. rather than the role of the undercover police, which is the aim of the Inquiry” she observes at this point

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She also made the important point that the consequence of not coming out on the streets (in Lewisham or anywhere else) would be that there would be more attacks on black people – much much worse.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books <we have not been able to cover the entirety of the hearing in detail - so there are gaps in our coverage today>

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books German was involved in the Right to Work campaign and marches - in 1981 - as was one of the #spycops who used the name 'Colin Clark'

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She says this "makes me uncomfortable"

"It's very disturbing that he was in this position"

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Did 'Colin' take part in making decisions?
“Oh yes” - most of the day to day decisions, about money for food etc, but also important discussions

eg how to avoid dangerous situations/ avoid young people who joined the protest march from being arrested

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books He put himself very much at the centre of the operation” - “presumably to find out as much information as he could”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Looking back, I feel uncomfortable, it's disquieting,

“I find no justification for it whatever” she says

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr: Was there any trouble on the 1981 march?

No, it was big
- involved a lot of logistical organisation
– it lasted for three weeks
– it was “remarkably successful”

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr next brought up a report about the culmination of the RTW march in 1982
ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

This report contains details of donations (incl some small ones) made to the campaign.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books was this information confidential?

It was meant to be, yes

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books It seems that the Inquiry would like to gain a better understanding of the way the campaign (and SWP) was organised, and how these donations were dealt with

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books There were a number of questions about the different positions within the SWP structure and what these levels meant, in terms of access to information and involvement in decision-making

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books What is a "Socialist Worker Organiser"?
Someone who would be responsible for paper distribution and sales (and in London, collecting the paper from the printers)

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books "District Social Committee"?

She's not sure - hadn't heard of this one.

Barr explains that this is a title used by Vince Harvey while he was spying on the SWP in East London

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books What were the party headquarters like?
German explained that it was a "considerable operation" - lots of people worked on the paper - journalists and workers in the print-shop - 35-50 people perhaps

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr: 'Headquarters' conjures up an image of the people at the top of the organisation...

German explained that there was an office half a mile down the road, and although some people worked from home, those in leadership roles would also come in to this office

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Some people worked in the office, and would have come along to meetings and social events, trips to the pub etc

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She does recall the #spycops – she says they attended social events, kept a fairly low profiile, and although people like 'Phil' were not on the Central Committee, yes, they would have had some influence over what was going on

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Of most concern though, is the level of access to information (of all kinds – people's names and personal data, the Party's finances etc) that he would have had

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

A report of a meeting in October 1977 - this mentions @LindseyAGerman by name and includes the news that she has just been made a District Organiser in Central London

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The next report
ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl… includes the news that Lindsey German is now the SWP's 'Women's Organiser' in 1979, and on the Central Committee

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She is also mentioned in ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl… a report from 1980 about a Blair Peach demo.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books This was held on the anniversary of his death in April 1979.

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…
On p2 it says that the photo of Lindsey on file is no longer a good likeness and requests a new one

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books finally, we see a document from 1983
ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…
which details Lindsey's new address and living arrangements

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Barr would like her reaction to all of this reporting?

She says the last report is completely inaccurate in many ways - "it's tripe really"

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books She feels that it's a completely unjustified intrusion - this info was all in the public record and she can't see the point of these reports - "pointless really"

The events at Skegness etc were all advertised publicly

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books Blair Peach was a neighbour.

Southall was described by someone she knew as "the most violent demonstration he's ever been on”

We know that Blair was murdered by the police

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The #spycops reported that the SWP used his death 'for their own ends' - "this is a complete disgrace" and tells us about the mindset of these undercover police and their attitudes towards those who demonstrated

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books This Inquiry must address the "appalling way" in which the police treated "people who were going about perfectly legitimate political activity"

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books The #spycopsinquiry then took a break for lunch

@LindseyAGerman @SWP_Britain @ucpinquiry @Bookmarks_books @threadreaderapp unroll