Gordon Irving - Revision history

Melissa Jones: /* Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns */

2011-11-14T21:47:10Z

Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns

Melissa Jones: /* Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry */ adding link to overview page on police and private security revolving door (hence deleting info that's on that page)

2011-03-10T14:40:59Z

Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry: adding link to overview page on police and private security revolving door (hence deleting info that's on that page)

Tilly Gifford: /* Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns */

2011-03-10T12:29:41Z

Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns

Tilly Gifford: /* Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns */

2011-02-25T12:16:28Z

Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns

Tilly Gifford: /* Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns */

2011-02-25T11:45:20Z

Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns

Tilly Gifford at 18:37, 23 February 2011

2011-02-23T18:37:36Z

Tilly Gifford at 18:36, 23 February 2011

2011-02-23T18:36:01Z

Tilly Gifford: /* Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry */

2011-02-23T18:34:36Z

Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry

Tilly Gifford: /* Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry */

2011-02-23T18:33:06Z

Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry

Tilly Gifford at 18:32, 23 February 2011

2011-02-23T18:32:05Z

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 ==Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns==
-An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among three clients of [[Vericola]], who sent employees into environmental campaign meetings. These were activist campaign meetings opposed to the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
+An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among three clients of [[Vericola]], a private security firm that had sent employees to infiltrate environmental campaign meetings. These were activist campaign meetings opposed to the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
 :One was [[Gordon Irving]], security director of [[Scottish Power]] who joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] where he was head of special branch. The other was [[Alan Somerville]], then a director of coal producer [[Scottish Resources Group]]. Telling a colleague to forward information about activists in Scotland to the two companies, Todd wrote: "Send … to usual suspects."<ref name="Rob Evans">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks]''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref>

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 ==Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry==
-Questions have been raised regarding the ethics of "former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters".<ref name="Evans2">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks] ''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref>
+Questions have been raised regarding the ethics of "former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters".<ref name="Evans2">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks] ''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref> See the Powerbase overview of [[Private security industry and the police: revolving door|the revolving door between the private security industry and the police]].
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns==
-An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among three clients of [[Vericola]], who sent employees into environmental campaign meetings. These were activist campaign meetings opposed the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
+An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among three clients of [[Vericola]], who sent employees into environmental campaign meetings. These were activist campaign meetings opposed to the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
 :One was [[Gordon Irving]], security director of [[Scottish Power]] who joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] where he was head of special branch. The other was [[Alan Somerville]], then a director of coal producer [[Scottish Resources Group]]. Telling a colleague to forward information about activists in Scotland to the two companies, Todd wrote: "Send … to usual suspects."<ref name="Rob Evans">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks]''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref>

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among three clients of [[Vericola]], who sent employees into environmental campaign meetings. These were activist campaign meetings opposed the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
 :One was [[Gordon Irving]], security director of [[Scottish Power]] who joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] where he was head of special branch. The other was [[Alan Somerville]], then a director of coal producer [[Scottish Resources Group]]. Telling a colleague to forward information about activists in Scotland to the two companies, Todd wrote: "Send … to usual suspects."<ref name="Rob Evans">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks]''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref>
 Shortly before ''The Guardian'' released the story, ''Indymedia'' published a full account of the [[Vericola]] exposure. ''Indymedia'' published  the full company details, the process by which activists gathered evidence about the infiltration and photos of [[Rebecca Todd]]. The groups which had been targeted were included, as were the email addresses she and her agents used so that campaigning groups can assess whether they had been infiltrated, and to what level.<ref>''Indymedia UK'' [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/02/474116.htmlSpying company, Vericola Ltd, uncovered after incompetence] 14/02/11, accessed 25/02/11</ref>

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among three clients of [[Vericola]], who sent employees into environmental campaign meetings. These were activist campaign meetings opposed the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
 :One was [[Gordon Irving]], security director of [[Scottish Power]] who joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] where he was head of special branch. The other was [[Alan Somerville]], then a director of coal producer [[Scottish Resources Group]]. Telling a colleague to forward information about activists in Scotland to the two companies, Todd wrote: "Send … to usual suspects."<ref name="Rob Evans">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks]''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref>
 ==Gordon Irving's career==

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 :One was [[Gordon Irving]], security director of [[Scottish Power]] who joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] where he was head of special branch. The other was [[Alan Somerville]], then a director of coal producer [[Scottish Resources Group]]. Telling a colleague to forward information about activists in Scotland to the two companies, Todd wrote: "Send … to usual suspects."<ref name="Rob Evans">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks]''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref>
-==Career==
+==Gordon Irving's career==
 :Prior to joining [[Scottish Power]] in 2001 Gordon had spent 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] (Scotland) where he attained the rank of Chief Superintendent. He was Head of Special Branch and latterly a Police Commander in Glasgow where he had responsibility for 800 police officers and support staff.<ref name="HFIS"/>In addition to his security role at Scottish power, Gordon is responsible for Business Continuity Management and Crisis Management across the whole group. Since 2001 Gordon has developed and implemented a strategy, framework and policy clearly embedding security and business continuity into each of the business areas within ScottishPower.<ref name="HFIS"/>
-==Police counter-terrorism==
+===Police counter-terrorism===
 :Gordon has extensive experience in Counter Terrorism and during his time in Special Branch was involved and led many operations against the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and Loyalist Paramilitary Groups. Additionally, he has extensive experience with the Middle Eastern threat. His experience in Counter Terrorism included involvement in the United Kingdom Counter Terrorism (CT) programme when he would act as umpire at CT exercises throughout the United Kingdom. During his police experience, Gordon was also a senior investigating officer and headed several murder enquiries.<ref name="HFIS"/>

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-*Another example of [[Special Branch]] providing transferable skills is Leeming, a director of Global Open, and former [[Special Branch]] officer. Until he left the police in 2001, he admits he regularly infiltrated undercover operatives into protest groups in his role as head of the Animal Rights National index. The animal rights movement subsequently became one of the main focusses of [[NETCU]] which polices "domestic extremism".<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/news/PRDisplay.asp?PR_GUID={A19DE824-55E1-47D1-8C6B-7BD288DBE25A} LEADING ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST SENTENCED], ACPO press release, 25 February 2005.</ref> However, he insists Global Open does not infiltrate activist groups. He told ''The Guardian'' the company only advises firms on security. However, Global Open appears to have access to well-sourced intelligence.<ref name="Evans"/>
+*Another example of [[Special Branch]] providing transferable skills is Leeming, a director of Global Open, and former [[Special Branch]] officer. Until he left the police in 2001, he admits he regularly infiltrated undercover operatives into protest groups in his role as head of the Animal Rights National index. The animal rights movement subsequently became one of the main focusses of [[NETCU]] which polices "domestic extremism".<ref>[http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/news/PRDisplay.asp?PR_GUID={A19DE824-55E1-47D1-8C6B-7BD288DBE25A} LEADING ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST SENTENCED], ACPO press release, 25 February 2005.</ref> However, he insists Global Open does not infiltrate activist groups. He told ''The Guardian'' the company only advises firms on security. However, Global Open appears to have access to well-sourced intelligence.<ref name="Evans">Rob Evans, Amelia Hill, Paul Lewis and Patrick Kingsley [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/12/mark-kennedy-policeman-corporate-spy  Mark Kennedy: secret policeman's sideline as corporate spy] ''The Guardian'', 13/01/11, accessed 17/ 01/11</ref>
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
-*[[Peter Bleksley]], director and co-owner of a business intelligence company, was a founder member of Scotland Yard's undercover unit in the 1980's.<ref>Contributor's profile [http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/peter-bleksley Peter Bleksley], ''The Guardian'', accessed 22/02/11</ref> Speaking as a former undercover police officer,  when questioned about the Kennedy affair in an an interview for BBC2, confirms that there are currently more police officers embedded in the movement and that "there are also people from the private security sector working against climate campaigners".<ref name="Wark">Kirsty Wark, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00xggg1/Newsnight_10_01_2011/ NewsNight] "BBC2" 10/01/11, accessed 11/01/11</ref>
+*[[Peter Bleksley]], director and co-owner of a business intelligence company, was a founder member of Scotland Yard's undercover unit in the 1980's.<ref>Contributor's profile [http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/peter-bleksley Peter Bleksley], ''The Guardian'', accessed 22/02/11</ref> Speaking as a former undercover police officer,  when questioned about the Kennedy affair in an an interview for BBC2, confirms that there are currently more police officers embedded in the movement and that "there are also people from the private security sector working against climate campaigners".<ref name="Wark">Kirsty Wark, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00xggg1/Newsnight_10_01_2011/ NewsNight] "BBC2" 10/01/11, accessed 11/01/11</ref> A SpinWatch article comments on Bleksley's words that "the language itself is telling. Not ‘protestors’, but ‘campaigners’. Targeted not for taking illegal direct action, but simply for holding a view. And not simply monitoring: the ‘against’ testifies to an agenda in policing".<ref> Tilly Gifford [http://www.spinwatch.org.uk/-articles-by-category-mainmenu-8/54-corporate-intelligence/5418-unmasking-the-environmental-infiltrators Unmasking the environmental infiltrators], ''SpinWatch'', 19/01/11, accessed 22/02/11</ref>
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 "Gordon Irving, ScottishPower’s Security Director, has close links and a very good working relationship with the police, having been in the force himself".<ref>Scottish Power Website [http://www.scottishpower.com/Casestudies_1602.asp Corporate Responsibility], accessed 02/01/11</ref>
-==Paying to infiltrate environmental campaigns==
+===Hiring Vericola to infiltrate environmental campaigns===
-An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among two clients of [[Vericola]], who sent employees into environmental campaign meetings. These are activist campaigns opposed the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
+An email leaked to ''The Guardian'' revealed that Gordon Irving was among three clients of [[Vericola]], who sent employees into environmental campaign meetings. These were activist campaign meetings opposed the environmental and social impacts of [[Scottish Power]]'s projects.
 :One was [[Gordon Irving]], security director of [[Scottish Power]] who joined the firm in 2001 after 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] where he was head of special branch. The other was [[Alan Somerville]], then a director of coal producer [[Scottish Resources Group]]. Telling a colleague to forward information about activists in Scotland to the two companies, Todd wrote: "Send … to usual suspects."<ref name="Rob Evans">Paul Lewis and Rob Evans [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/14/environmental-activists-protest-energy-companies Green groups targeted polluters as corporate agents hid in their ranks]''The Guardian'', 14/02/11, accessed 14/02/11</ref>
-==Revolving door between undercover policing and the private spying business==
+===Career===
 :Prior to joining [[Scottish Power]] in 2001 Gordon had spent 30 years in [[Strathclyde Police]] (Scotland) where he attained the rank of Chief Superintendent. He was Head of Special Branch and latterly a Police Commander in Glasgow where he had responsibility for 800 police officers and support staff.<ref name="HFIS"/>In addition to his security role at Scottish power, Gordon is responsible for Business Continuity Management and Crisis Management across the whole group. Since 2001 Gordon has developed and implemented a strategy, framework and policy clearly embedding security and business continuity into each of the business areas within ScottishPower.<ref name="HFIS"/>
@@ Line 15: / Line 14: @@
 :Gordon has extensive experience in Counter Terrorism and during his time in Special Branch was involved and led many operations against the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and Loyalist Paramilitary Groups. Additionally, he has extensive experience with the Middle Eastern threat. His experience in Counter Terrorism included involvement in the United Kingdom Counter Terrorism (CT) programme when he would act as umpire at CT exercises throughout the United Kingdom. During his police experience, Gordon was also a senior investigating officer and headed several murder enquiries.<ref name="HFIS"/>
-Privately, senior officers claim there are "without question" more corporate spies embedded in the protest movement than police officers. Among their number are former police officers cashing in on their surveillance skills for a host of companies that target protesters, relays ''the Guardian''.<ref name="Rob Evans"/> The same article goes on to relate
+===Transferable skills and alliances: police and private security industry===
-:The company best-known for monitoring protest groups is [[Global Open]], founded a decade ago by [[Rod Leeming]], a former special branch officer who in the late 1990s ran the Animal Rights National Index (ARNI), a clandestine [[Metropolitan police]] unit monitoring activists.[[Global Open]] claims to have more than 90 clients and maintains "a discreet watch" on protest groups that could damage a firm's reputation. It is understood to have offered to employ several ex-police officers, including the undercover police officer [[Mark Kennedy]], who said he was hired by [[Rod Leeming]] as a private investigator last year. Leeming previously claimed never to have met or employed [[Kennedy]].<ref name="Rob Evans"/>
 ==Notes==