HG Lawrenson - Revision history

Eveline at 11:35, 17 March 2021

2021-03-17T11:35:02Z

Peter Salmon at 15:56, 3 March 2021

2021-03-03T15:56:54Z

Eveline at 14:57, 3 March 2021

2021-03-03T14:57:28Z

Eveline: /* In the Undercover Policing Inquiry */

2021-03-03T14:56:53Z

In the Undercover Policing Inquiry

Eveline at 14:45, 3 March 2021

2021-03-03T14:45:48Z

Eveline at 14:43, 3 March 2021

2021-03-03T14:43:15Z

Eveline at 14:40, 3 March 2021

2021-03-03T14:40:24Z

Eveline at 14:03, 3 March 2021

2021-03-03T14:03:26Z

Eveline at 11:44, 3 March 2021

2021-03-03T11:44:47Z

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Eveline: /* Other details */

2021-03-02T22:40:34Z

Other details

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 === Special Demonstration Squad ===
-saw a mass movement against the Vietnam War, including large scale demonstrations in London. Special Branch played a key role in the police response to this,<ref>Dónal O’Driscoll, [http://specialbranchfiles.uk/1968-protest-and-special-branch-0/ 1968 – Protest and Special Branch], ''Undercover Research Group'', 14 April 2018 (accessed 2 April 2020, via SpecialBranchFiles.uk).</ref> including setting up undercover unit, the [[Special Demonstration Squad]] in September that year, targeting the large scale 27 October mobilisation.<ref name="undercover.book">Paul Lewis & Rob Evans, [https://guardianbookshop.com/undercover-9781783350346.html Undercover: The true story of Britain's secret poilce], ''Guardian Faber'', 2013.</ref>
+saw a mass movement against the Vietnam War, including large scale demonstrations in London. Special Branch played a key role in the police response to this,<ref>Dónal O’Driscoll, [http://specialbranchfiles.uk/1968-protest-and-special-branch-0/ 1968 – Protest and Special Branch], ''Undercover Research Group'', 14 April 2018 (accessed 2 April 2020, via SpecialBranchFiles.uk).</ref> including setting up undercover unit, the [[Special Demonstration Squad]] in late July that year, targeting the large scale 27 October mobilisation.<ref name="undercover.book">Paul Lewis & Rob Evans, [https://guardianbookshop.com/undercover-9781783350346.html Undercover: The true story of Britain's secret poilce], ''Guardian Faber'', 2013.</ref>
 [[File:UCPI0000030046.jpg|thumb|200px|The 29 August 1968 ''Note to File'' from F.4 Division, MI5]]
 In doing so, the SDS had a close working relationship with the secret service from the very beginning, as was revealed in files released by the Inquiry in November 2020.

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 [[File:UCPI0000030046.jpg|thumb|200px|The 29 August 1968 ''Note to File'' from F.4 Division, MI5]]
 In doing so, the SDS had a close working relationship with the secret service from the very beginning, as was revealed in files released by the Inquiry in November 2020.
 ====Liaising with MI5====
 Lawrenson was personally involved in cementing this relationship. At a first meeting between Special Branch and MI5 was held on 1 August, the day after the creation of the Squad, the intention to cooperate was recorded. Present were Director F, F.1 and F.4 of MI5 and Commander [[Ferguson Smith]], head of Special Branch), Chief Superintendent [[Arthur Cunningham]] and Chief Inspector [[Conrad Dixon]]. On 2nd August, Dixon and his deputy Inspector [[Philip Saunders]] visited the Security Service to tie up liaison arranchments, the SDS was to have a liaison at MI5, to see what would happen with the intelligence sent there.<ref>F.4, [https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20428436-ucpi0000030045 Note for File regarding a meeting at Scotland Yard held to discuss arrangements for the October 27th Grosvenor Square demonstration], Security Service, 2 August 1968, accessed via UCPI.org.uk UCPI0000030045)</ref>
@@ Line 33: / Line 34: @@
 ==Economic League==
-[[File:HN336 statement on Lawrenson.png|thumb|200px|Section from statement of spycop HN336 noting Supt. Bert Lawrenson joining the Economic League.]]
+[[File:HN336 statement on Lawrenson.png|thumb|200px|Section from statement of Special Demonstration Squad undercover HN336 noting Supt. Bert Lawrenson joining the Economic League.]]
 At the hearings of the Undercover Policing Inquiry in November 2020, one of the former SDS undercover officers mentioned Lawrenson in his witness statement.<ref name = EppsWitness>[https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20426723-20190509-first-witness-statement-of-hn336 First Witness Statement of HN336 ('Dick Epps')], ''Metropolitan Police Service'', p25 and 36, 9 May 2019 (published via upci.org.uk, 16 November 2020).</ref> Known as HN336 because his real name is restricted in the Inquiry, he used the cover name [https://powerbase.info/index.php/Dick_Epps_(alias) Dick Epps] while he was undercover between 1969 to 1972. (He also appeared as 'Dan' in ''True Spies'', the BBC series first revealing the existence of the SDS in 2002). When asked what he knew of the Special Branch and the [[Economic League]], he said:
 ::Shortly after I joined the branch, the then Chief Superintendent of C Squad, I think his name was Lawrenson, retired and he joined the staff of the Economic League, and I was aware of that.
-Reference to 'the branch' is thought to be a mistake for the Special Demonstration Squad, which HN336 joined in early 1969, while he had joined Special Branch as a police constable in 1964.<ref name = EppsWitness/>
+Reference to 'the branch' is likely a mistake for the Special Demonstration Squad, which HN336 joined in early 1969, whereas he had joined Special Branch as a police constable in 1964.<ref name = EppsWitness/>
-A search of the Police and Constabulary Almanac shows that Bert Lawrenson indeed left, as he is last recorded as a Metropolitan police officer in 1969, as an Acting Chief Superintendent.<ref name="pcalmanacs">Police and Constabulary Almanacs, miscellaneous years, R Hazell & co.</ref> (The Special reports from March 1969 quoted above must have been amongst the last he signed.)
+A search of the Police and Constabulary Almanacs shows that Bert Lawrenson had left around this date, as he is last recorded as a Metropolitan police officer in 1969, as an Acting Chief Superintendent.<ref name="pcalmanacs">Police and Constabulary Almanacs, miscellaneous years, R Hazell & co.</ref> (The Special Branch reports from March 1969 quoted above must have been amongst the last he signed.)
-Mike Hughes, long-term researcher of the Economic League and the author of ''[[Spies at Work]] a''ssumes that Lawrenson was appointed head of the EL's London Regional HQ's research department after he left the police, and stayed in that role until 1980, when the London office was moved to Croydon and the League appointed someone called Derek Knight-Jewell, someone withouth security background.<ref>Mike Hughes, [https://www.spiesatwork.org.uk/blog The Under Cover Police Inquiry (UCPI) Calls Out the Senior Special Branch Officer Running the Economic League’s Secret Registry], ''Spies at Work'' blog post 8 Dec 2020 (accessed 3 March 2021)</ref>
+Mike Hughes, long-term researcher of the Economic League and the author of ''[[Spies at Work]]'' assumes that Lawrenson was appointed head of the League's London Regional HQ's research department after he left the police, and stayed in that role until 1980, when the London office was moved to Croydon and the League appointed someone called Derek Knight-Jewell, someone without a security background.<ref>Mike Hughes, [https://www.spiesatwork.org.uk/blog The Under Cover Police Inquiry (UCPI) Calls Out the Senior Special Branch Officer Running the Economic League’s Secret Registry], ''Spies at Work'' blog post 8 Dec 2020 (accessed 3 March 2021)</ref>
-===Links to Blacklisting====
+===Links to Blacklisting===
 Given his role in 'C' Squad, Lawrenson's move to blacklisting organisation the [[Economic League]] is concerning. He would have seen numerous intelligence reports on people who were being systematically targeted for their political beliefs and union work. His understanding of Special Branch officers and structures would also provide knowledge and contacts useful for the Economic League.
@@ Line 62: / Line 63: @@
 == In the Undercover Policing Inquiry==
-Looking at the timeline of his carreer and his personal details, it is highly likely that Lawrenson has passed away. No request for anonymity has been made by his relatives, he has no HN number and his name had not yet been mentioned in the proceedings in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. When HN331 mentioned Lawrenson in his witness statement, his name was not redacted; nor was it from the MI5 report on the meeting with Special Branch and the SDS, quoted here.
+Looking at the timeline of his career and his personal details, it is highly likely that Lawrenson has passed away. No request for anonymity has been made by his relatives, he has no HN number and his name had not yet been mentioned in the proceedings in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. When HN331 mentioned Lawrenson in his witness statement, his name was not redacted; nor was it from the MI5 report on the meeting with Special Branch and the SDS, quoted here.
-As a superior in 'C' squat, who arranged contacts with MI5 for the SDS at its invention, signed off SDS reports, who had been responsible for the Industrial Unit, before moving on the Economic League, one would expect the Inquiry to look at Lawrenson's role. Hopefully he will be on the agenda once the Inquiry gets to scrutinise the managers of the SDS for this period, in late 2021.
+As a superior in 'C' squad, who arranged contacts with MI5 for the SDS at its invention, signed off SDS reports, who had been responsible for the Industrial Unit, before moving on the Economic League, one would expect the Inquiry to look at Lawrenson's role. Hopefully he will be on the agenda once the Inquiry gets to scrutinise the managers of the SDS for this period, in late 2021.
 Curiously enough, the files disclosed by the Inquiry in November 2020 did not include any Special Branch reports that were written or signed by him (- or they must have been redacted, which would not make sense as his name was available in other documents).

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 Given his role in 'C' Squad, Lawrenson's move to blacklisting organisation the [[Economic League]] is concerning. He would have seen numerous intelligence reports on people who were being systematically targeted for their political beliefs and union work. His understanding of Special Branch officers and structures would also provide knowledge and contacts useful for the Economic League.
-Operation Herne, the Metropolitan Police’s wider investigation into the undercover policing scandal, which was supposed to be looking into the links between Special Branch and the Economic League, does not mention the fact that Bert Lawrenson worked for the Economic League right after his retirement. The report on their 'Operation Reuben', however, does mention that there's a dedicated liaison officer from the Special Branch Industrial Unit with the Economic League.<ref>Mick Creedon, [https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5759131/Op-Reuben-MPS-Partly-Redacted.pdf Operation Reuben], Operation Herne, Metropolitan Police, 14 February 2016 (accessed March 2021)</ref>
+Operation Herne, the Metropolitan Police’s wider investigation into the undercover policing scandal, which was supposed to be looking into the links between Special Branch and the Economic League, does not mention the fact that Bert Lawrenson worked for the Economic League right after his retirement. The report on their 'Operation Reuben', however, does mention that there's a dedicated liaison officer from the Special Branch Industrial Unit (also known as the Industrial Intelligence Section) with the Economic League.<ref>Mick Creedon, [https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5759131/Op-Reuben-MPS-Partly-Redacted.pdf Operation Reuben], Operation Herne, Metropolitan Police, 14 February 2016 (accessed March 2021)</ref>
 * For more detail see: Dónal O’Driscoll, [http://specialbranchfiles.uk/operation-reuben-unpicked-pt1/ Operation Reuben Unpicked: police involvement in blacklisting], SpecialBranchFiles.uk June 2019.

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 Looking at the timeline of his carreer and his personal details, it is highly likely that Lawrenson has passed away. No request for anonymity has been made by his relatives, he has no HN number and his name had not yet been mentioned in the proceedings in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. When HN331 mentioned Lawrenson in his witness statement, his name was not redacted; nor was it from the MI5 report on the meeting with Special Branch and the SDS, quoted here.
-As a superior in 'C' squat, who arranged contacts with MI5 for the SDS at its invention, signed off SDS reports, who had been responsible for the Industrial Intelligence Unit, before moving on the Economic League, one would expect the Inquiry to look at Lawrenson's role. Hopefully he will be on the agenda once the Inquiry gets to scrutinise the managers of the SDS for this period, in late 2021.
+As a superior in 'C' squat, who arranged contacts with MI5 for the SDS at its invention, signed off SDS reports, who had been responsible for the Industrial Unit, before moving on the Economic League, one would expect the Inquiry to look at Lawrenson's role. Hopefully he will be on the agenda once the Inquiry gets to scrutinise the managers of the SDS for this period, in late 2021.
 Curiously enough, the files disclosed by the Inquiry in November 2020 did not include any Special Branch reports that were written or signed by him (- or they must have been redacted, which would not make sense as his name was available in other documents).

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 {{Undercover_Police_Officer_sidebar|Name=HG 'Bert' Lawrenson|Alias=n/a|Series=undercover police management|Image=Lawrenson signature.png |Unit=C Squad|DatesDeployed=before 1963 - early 1969|Targets=n/a}}
-'''HG "Bert" Lawrenson''' was a senior officer in the [[Metropolitan Police Special Branch]] in the 1960s, who moved to the Economic League London Regional Office as soon as he retired in early 1969.
+'''HG "Bert" Lawrenson''' was a senior officer in the [[Metropolitan Police Special Branch]] in the 1960s, who moved to the Economic League London Regional Office as soon as he retired in early 1969. As the head of 'C' squad he oversaw the gathering of intelligence on the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign in 1968, and he was closely invovled in the setting up of CI Conrad Dixon's Special Demonstration Squad (or Special Operation Squad as it was called in the early days).
 ==Special Branch==

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 {{Undercover_Police_Officer_sidebar|Name=HG 'Bert' Lawrenson|Alias=n/a|Series=undercover police management|Image=Lawrenson signature.png |Unit=C Squad|DatesDeployed=before 1963 - early 1969|Targets=n/a}}
-'''HG "Bert" Lawrenson''' is a former senior officer in the [[Metropolitan Police Special Branch]], who transferred to the Economic League London Regional Office as soon as he retired in early 1969.
+'''HG "Bert" Lawrenson''' was a senior officer in the [[Metropolitan Police Special Branch]] in the 1960s, who moved to the Economic League London Regional Office as soon as he retired in early 1969.
 ==Special Branch==
-The first known appearance of Lawrenson as a Detective Inspector - most probably from Special Branch - is in 1963. Activist group 'Spies for Peace' had released top secret details of the governments plans for 'Regional Seats of Government', which was picked up by the wider peace movement. As part of an effort to prevent further publicising of the details, the state issued various warnings. These included a visit from Special Branch, in the form of Detective Inspectors Wood and Lawrenson, to ''Peace News'' due to that newspaper's plans to publish the details. Despite this, ''Peace News'' put the story on it's front page.'<ref>[https://libcom.org/files/ResistanceShallGrow.pdf Resistance Shall Grow: the story of the 'Spies for Peace' and why they are important for your future], jointly published by a number of groups, 1963, p.11 (accessed via Libcom.org).</ref>
+The first known appearance of Lawrenson as a Detective Inspector - most probably from Special Branch - is in 1963. Activist group 'Spies for Peace' had released top secret details of the governments plans for 'Regional Seats of Government', which was picked up by the wider peace movement. As part of an effort to prevent further publicising of the details, the state issued various warnings. These included a visit from  Detective Inspectors Wood and Lawrenson, to ''Peace News'' due to that newspaper's plans to publish the details. Despite this, ''Peace News'' put the story on it's front page.'<ref>[https://libcom.org/files/ResistanceShallGrow.pdf Resistance Shall Grow: the story of the 'Spies for Peace' and why they are important for your future], jointly published by a number of groups, 1963, p.11 (accessed via Libcom.org).</ref>
 ===C Squad===
-Lawrenson was a Superintendent in charge of C Squad later in the 1960s, according to a former colleague - having succeeded Harold Suttling in that role.<ref name = 8/18>John Streeter, [https://818association.typepad.com/files/autumn-14-newsletter.pdf Ian Adams who died on Wednesday 14th May 2014.], ''8/18 Association Newsletter'', Edition 51, Autumn 2014. John Streeter wrote: ”I enjoyed the somewhat dubious pleasure of working with Ian Adams way back in the late 60s and early 70s when we both served together on ‘C’ Squad then under the command of Supt ‘Bert’ Lawrenson ably assisted by CIs ‘Ron’ Floor, Norman Murray and ‘Bill’ Tucker.</ref> Dates are as yet uncertain, but he certainly held the rank of Superintendent by late 1967 and subsequent years.<ref name="pcalmanacs">Police and Constabulary Almanacs, miscellaneous years, R Hazell & co.</ref> Lawrenson was deputy to the then head of Special Branch, Chief Superintendent [[Arthur Cunningham]].
+Lawrenson was a Superintendent in charge of 'C' Squad later in the 1960s, according to a former colleague - having succeeded Harold Suttling in that role.<ref name = 8/18>John Streeter, [https://818association.typepad.com/files/autumn-14-newsletter.pdf Ian Adams who died on Wednesday 14th May 2014.], ''8/18 Association Newsletter'', Edition 51, Autumn 2014. John Streeter wrote: ”I enjoyed the somewhat dubious pleasure of working with Ian Adams way back in the late 60s and early 70s when we both served together on ‘C’ Squad then under the command of Supt ‘Bert’ Lawrenson ably assisted by CIs ‘Ron’ Floor, Norman Murray and ‘Bill’ Tucker.</ref> Dates are as yet uncertain, but he certainly held the rank of Superintendent by late 1967 and subsequent years.<ref name="pcalmanacs">Police and Constabulary Almanacs, miscellaneous years, R Hazell & co.</ref> Lawrenson was deputy to the then head of Special Branch, Chief Superintendent [[Arthur Cunningham]].
 In this role, he would have overseen Special Branch's intelligence gathering on political groups - its remit variously including Communists and Subversives/ Public Order / Domestic Extremism.<ref>Special Branch Introduction and summary of responsibilities, ''Metropolitan Police Special Branch'', August 2004.</ref><ref>Oliver Sanders QC, Robert McAllister & Claire Palmer, [https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20426753-20201028-opening_statement-dl_clients Amended written opening statement on behalf of the Designated Lawyer officer core participant group for hearing: 3-4 November 2020], ''Metropolitan Police Service'', 28 October 2020 (accessed via ucpi.org.uk).</ref><ref>[https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6880178-History-of-Uk-Special-Branch.html Special Branch Introduction and summary of responsibilities], ''Metropolitan Police Special Branch'', August 2004 (accessed via SpecialBranchFiles.uk).</ref> Lawrenson's former colleague, John Streeter in an obituary in 2014 puts it this way: "In those distant days one of the functions of ‘C’ Squad was to ‘monitor’ the subversive activities of extreme left wing organisations such as the CP, WRP, and many others doubtless still remembered with ‘affection’ by many of a certain vintage."<ref name = 8/18/>
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 ===Links to Blacklisting====
-Given his role in C Squad, Lawrenson's move to blacklisting organisation the [[Economic League]] is concerning. He would have seen numerous intelligence reports on people who were being systematically targeted for their political beliefs and union work. His understanding of Special Branch officers and structures would also provide knowledge and contacts useful for the Economic League.
+Given his role in 'C' Squad, Lawrenson's move to blacklisting organisation the [[Economic League]] is concerning. He would have seen numerous intelligence reports on people who were being systematically targeted for their political beliefs and union work. His understanding of Special Branch officers and structures would also provide knowledge and contacts useful for the Economic League.
 Operation Herne, the Metropolitan Police’s wider investigation into the undercover policing scandal, which was supposed to be looking into the links between Special Branch and the Economic League, does not mention the fact that Bert Lawrenson worked for the Economic League right after his retirement. The report on their 'Operation Reuben', however, does mention that there's a dedicated liaison officer from the Special Branch Industrial Unit with the Economic League.<ref>Mick Creedon, [https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5759131/Op-Reuben-MPS-Partly-Redacted.pdf Operation Reuben], Operation Herne, Metropolitan Police, 14 February 2016 (accessed March 2021)</ref>

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 [[File:HN336 statement on Lawrenson.png|thumb|200px|Section from statement of spycop HN336 noting Supt. Bert Lawrenson joining the Economic League.]]
-At the hearings of the Undercover Policing Inquiry in November 2020, one of the former SDS undercover officers mentioned Lawrenson in his witness statement.<ref name = EppsWitness>[https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20426723-20190509-first-witness-statement-of-hn336 First Witness Statement of HN336 ('Dick Epps')], ''Metropolitan Police Service'', 9 May 2019 (published via upci.org.uk, 16 November 2020).</ref> Known as HN336 because his real name is restricted in the Inquiry, he used the cover name [https://powerbase.info/index.php/Dick_Epps_(alias) Dick Epps] while he was undercover between 1969 to 1972. (He also appeared as 'Dan' in ''True Spies'', the BBC series first revealing the existence of the SDS in 2002). When asked what he knew of the Special Branch and the [[Economic League]], he said:
+At the hearings of the Undercover Policing Inquiry in November 2020, one of the former SDS undercover officers mentioned Lawrenson in his witness statement.<ref name = EppsWitness>[https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20426723-20190509-first-witness-statement-of-hn336 First Witness Statement of HN336 ('Dick Epps')], ''Metropolitan Police Service'', p25 and 36, 9 May 2019 (published via upci.org.uk, 16 November 2020).</ref> Known as HN336 because his real name is restricted in the Inquiry, he used the cover name [https://powerbase.info/index.php/Dick_Epps_(alias) Dick Epps] while he was undercover between 1969 to 1972. (He also appeared as 'Dan' in ''True Spies'', the BBC series first revealing the existence of the SDS in 2002). When asked what he knew of the Special Branch and the [[Economic League]], he said:
 ::Shortly after I joined the branch, the then Chief Superintendent of C Squad, I think his name was Lawrenson, retired and he joined the staff of the Economic League, and I was aware of that.
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 Mike Hughes, long-term researcher of the Economic League and the author of ''[[Spies at Work]] a''ssumes that Lawrenson was appointed head of the EL's London Regional HQ's research department after he left the police, and stayed in that role until 1980, when the London office was moved to Croydon and the League appointed someone called Derek Knight-Jewell, someone withouth security background.<ref>Mike Hughes, [https://www.spiesatwork.org.uk/blog The Under Cover Police Inquiry (UCPI) Calls Out the Senior Special Branch Officer Running the Economic League’s Secret Registry], ''Spies at Work'' blog post 8 Dec 2020 (accessed 3 March 2021)</ref>
-Given his role in C Squad, Lawrenson's move to blacklisting organisation the [[Economic League]] is concerning. He would have seen numerous intelligence reports on people who were being systematically targeted for their political beliefs. His understanding of Special Branch officers and structures would also provide knowledge and contacts useful for the Economic League.
+===Links to Blacklisting====
 ==Personal details==
@@ Line 62: / Line 73: @@
 ==Press==
-The importance of the mention of Lawrenson in the statement of HN336 / 'Dick Epps', was immediately recognised by campaigners and those spied on. Core Participant Dave Smith of the Blacklist Support Group discussed it in his Opening Statement.<ref>Dave Smith, [https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20201105-Opening_Statement-Blacklist_Support_Group.pdf Opening Statement], ''Blacklist Support Group''', 17 November 2020 as updated 17 November 2020 (accessed via ucpi.org.uk).</ref>
+The importance of the mention of Lawrenson in the statement of HN336 / 'Dick Epps', was immediately recognised by campaigners and those spied on. Core Participant Dave Smith of the Blacklist Support Group discussed it in his Opening Statement.<ref name = Dave>Dave Smith, [https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20201105-Opening_Statement-Blacklist_Support_Group.pdf Opening Statement], ''Blacklist Support Group''', 17 November 2020 as updated 17 November 2020 (accessed via ucpi.org.uk).</ref>
 This in turn lead to stories in for instance ''the Guardian''<ref>Rob Evans, [https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/nov/17/police-chief-who-spied-on-activists-went-on-to-work-for-union-blacklist-inquiry-told Police chief who spied on activists went on to work for union blacklist, inquiry told], ''The Guardian'', 17 November 2020 (accessed March 2021).</ref> and made the front cover of the print edition of the Morning Star of 18 November 2020.<ref>[https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/former-cop-who-spied-on-trade-unionists-left-the-force-to-join-blacklist-firm Former cop who spied on trade unionists left the force to join blacklist firm], ''Morning Star'', 18 November 2020 (accessed March 2021).</ref>

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 Given his role in C Squad, Lawrenson's move to blacklisting organisation the [[Economic League]] is concerning. He would have seen numerous intelligence reports on people who were being systematically targeted for their political beliefs. His understanding of Special Branch officers and structures would also provide knowledge and contacts useful for the Economic League.
-==Other details==
+==Personal details==
 [[File:Morning Star - Lawrenson spycop frontpage - 18 Nov 202.jpg|thumb|200px|Lawrenson on frontpage of the Morning Star, 18 November 2020.]]