Police face probe on media spying claim
MSP demands inquiry in new problem for force chief
damning allegations that Scots police off i cers have spied on journalists and their sources are to be investigated by MSPs.
The convener of the powerful Holyrood committee that oversees Police Scotland last night opened the door to an inquiry, in the latest controversy to hit force chiefs already under pressure over armed officers and the m9 crash deaths.
The probe could see First minister nicola Sturgeon and Chief Constable Sir Stephen House hauled before MSPs to give evidence.
SNP ministers are under attack for keeping silent about the claims, but a parliamentary petition demanding ‘full transparency’ has been backed by Labour, Lib dem, green and independent MSPs, with the Tories also set to add their backing.
Police have to get the approval of a judge before using the Regulation of investigatory Powers act to identify a journalist’s sources.
But the interception of Communications Commissioner’s Office (IoCCO) has revealed it ‘identified that two police forces had acquired communications data to identify the interactions between journalists and their sources without obtaining judicial approval’.
a newspaper has alleged Police Scotland is one of the two forces. an investigative journalist has also told BBC Scotland he believes Police Scotland may have been monitoring his communications illegally.
There are now fears that whistleblowers, who are vital to uncovering scandals in the public interest, could be put off contacting newspapers in the wake of the claims.
The SNP’s silence on the issue is in stark contrast to recent reports that GCHQ can spy on MSPs, which sparked immediate condemnation from nicola Sturgeon.
But nationalist Christine grahame, one of the party’s few MSPs willing to stand up to the leadership, chairs the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing at Holyrood.
She said yesterday: ‘it’s up to the committee to say if anyone wants to investigate this. i’d be surprised if there weren’t calls for it, and i’m happy to listen to them.’
as a result, Lib dem justice spokesman and policing subcommittee member alison mcinnes has now written to miss grahame stating: ‘The refusal of the national force and Scottish government to confirm or deny Police Scotland’s involvement in this matter will only fuel concerns about a conspiracy of silence.
‘i am writing to ask that the policing sub-committee undertake a full inquiry into these allegations in order to ascertain Police Scotland’s involvement.’
On Wednesday, journalist Eamon O Connor told the BBC’s Scotland 2015 programme a police source informed him his communications may have been monitored as he investigated the unsolved murder of Emma Caldwell, a 27-year- old heroin addict who was killed in South Lanarkshire a decade ago.
Yesterday, Scottish Labour justice spokesman Hugh Henry said: ‘SNP ministers have to break their silence about these shocking allegations. This goes to the heart of public trust in our police.’
a Police Scotland spokesman said IoCCO had set out its rationale for not identifying organisations in its report and it would be inappropriate to comment further.’
a Scottish government spokesman also said it would be inappropriate to comment.
ALLEGATIONS that Police Scotland may have illegally spied on journalists are deeply disturbing. They suggest the national force truly is a law unto itself.
Investigative journalist Eamon O’Connor says that a police source informed him he was being targeted while he investigated the unsolved murder of Emma Caldwell.
And, despite mounting political pressure, Police Scotland refuses to confirm or deny that the force’s Counter Corruption Unit spied in order to discover the identities of the journalist’s sources.
It has to be said that the political pressure is coming from opposition politicians. The SNP – whose baby the much unloved national police force is – has been reticent to get involved.
The Scottish Government may have been quick to scream scandal when it was revealed last month that UK secret service agents were willing to spy on MSPs but when the national force is accused of trampling over the law to spy on members of the media, ministers have nothing to say.
This is a state of affairs which cannot continue. Faith i n Police Scotland plummets with every new controversy that emerges.
This newspaper has led the way in exposing the failings of the new police force, headed by chief constable Sir Stephen House. We have reported on the force’s disproportionate use of stop and search powers, and on the deployment of armed officers on routine patrol.
The case that Police Scotland is dysfunctional was already solid; these allegations of spying on journalists make the case stronger, still.
The national police force was poorly conceived by an SNP Government desperate to save money. Having championed the idea of a single force, selling it as the pinnacle of efficient, modern policing rather than the cost- cutting exercise it undoubtedly was, the Nationalists are less than enthusiastic about criticising the organisation. So we welcome Nationalist MSP Christine Grahame’s suggestion that there should be a Holyrood committee investigation into allegations about Police Scotland’s conduct.
If journalists have been illegally spied on, then we must know and there must be consequences for whoever may have ordered such action.
Under Sir Stephen House’s leadership, Police Scotland has lurched from crisis to crisis. And, each time trouble rears its head, the Scottish Government refuses to get involved.
This can’t go on. It’s time First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took responsibility for the force her government created.
And if that means she must confront dark, uncomfortable truths about the way it operates, then so be it.