Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
9%
2 of 22 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
66/100
The Guardian's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Victims of intrusive police surveillance have accused the government of seeking to cut short the spycops public inquiry that has been examining widespread misconduct committed by undercover officers.
asserted
that → accuse → officers
The independent judge-led inquiry is scrutinising how officers, who spied on tens of thousands of political activists over more than four decades, carried out abuses such as deceiving women into sexual relationships and fathering children.
asserted
who → lead → children
The inquiry has been running for more than a decade, and is expected to last another two years.
asserted
inquiry → run → decade
The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has said she is concerned about the length and cost of the process.
asserted
she → say → process
It was set up in 2015 and was supposed to have been completed within three years.
asserted
It → set → years
Latest figures show the inquiry, which has been led by retired judge Sir John Mitting, has so far cost £144m.
Mahmood initiated a public consultation, which closes on Sunday, that she said would help determine whether the inquiry should continue in a different format.
However, those who were spied on say that the Home Office is looking to severely limit or scrap the later stages, leaving the full extent of wrongdoing by the police hidden.
asserted
Office → show → police
They say more than 2,000 people have objected to what they believe would be a cover-up.
asserted
they → say → ?
The spycops inquiry is one of the longest-running public inquiries.
asserted
inquiry → run → inquiries
According to the House of Commons, the longest in modern times was an inquiry into a sectarian murder in Northern Ireland which reported last week, 22 years after being commissioned.
uncertain
which → accord → Ireland
It has so far been investigating the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), a Metropolitan police unit that infiltrated political groups between 1968 and 2008.
asserted
that → investigate → 1968
The inquiry has heard how the SDS officers formed long-term relationships with women without disclosing to them their true identity, spied on grieving families such as the parents of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, stole the identities of dead children and lied in court hearings.
asserted
officers → hear → hearings
It is due to examine a second undercover squad, the National Public Order Intelligence Unit, which infiltrated political groups between 1999 and 2011.
asserted
which → examine → 1999
One of the unit’s key undercover officers was Mark Kennedy who infiltrated environmental and left-wing groups for six years.
asserted
who → infiltrate → years
He deceived a large, but unknown, number of women into intimate relationships.
asserted
He → deceive → relationships
Environmental campaigners had their criminal convictions overturned because crucial evidence gathered by Kennedy was withheld from their trials.
asserted
evidence → have → trials
The inquiry is also scheduled to look at the case of an undercover police officer who used his fake identity while infiltrating serious crime to deceive a woman into a 19-year relationship during which they had a child together.
asserted
they → schedule → child
Victims of the surveillance say that the consultation is phoney and rigged as it only offers three alternatives: an inquiry with a narrower remit, one that would not have legal powers to force reluctant witnesses to testify or asking the police to disclose documents to victims without any type of inquiry.
asserted
that → say → inquiry
Kate Wilson, who was deceived into a two-year relationship by Kennedy, said: “Whatever the intentions of the Home Office in doing this, the practical effect of them curtailing the inquiry or reducing its powers to compel evidence will be a cover-up, and we may never understand the full extent of the misconduct that has occurred in undercover policing.”
uncertain
that → deceive → policing
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The historic failings in undercover policing continue to shock the public.
asserted
failings → say → public
We are determined to get justice and hold those responsible to account.
asserted
We → get → account
“However, the undercover policing inquiry was established more than a decade ago, and is yet to deliver justice for those affected, at significant cost to the taxpayer.
asserted
inquiry → establish → taxpayer
It’s only right that we ask those affected themselves about the future of the inquiry.”
asserted
we → ’ → inquiry