That this House notes the disturbing allegations about MI5 operations against the National Union of Mineworkers published in a book, The Enemy Within, by Seumas Milne and broadcast in the Channel Four, Dispatches, programme on 23rd November; further notes that there is strong evidence of the systematic abuse of security service powers against the miners' union and its leadership, including the mobilisation of GCHQ stations against domestic targets, dirty tricks, forged documents, phoney bank deposits, infiltration of the union at all levels, agent provocateur operations and the planting of smear stories in the media; further notes that further evidence has emerged that Roger Windsor, former NUM Chief Executive, was an MI5 agent sent into the union to destabilise it, and that Mr Windsor has now been found guilty in the French courts, to which jurisdiction he fled, of having himself signed documents he falsely claimed had been forged by NUM President, Arthur Scargill; further notes that Stella Rimington, as an assistant director heading MI5's F2 branch, was in charge of security service operations against the NUM during the 1984-85 strike, and now, as Director General, is seeking to extend MI5's responsibilities in the direction of creating a British F.B.I.; calls for an independent public inquiry into the activities of the security services against the NUM; and believes that, if these latest allegations are shown to be well founded, Mrs Rimington is not a fit person to run the security service and should be dismissed.

That this House notes the disturbing allegations about MI5 operations against the National Union of Mineworkers published in a book, The Enemy Within, by Seumas Milne and broadcast in the Channel Four, Dispatches, programme on 23rd November; further notes that there is strong evidence of the systematic abuse of security...

That this House, noting recent publicity about Stella Rimington, Director General of the Security Service, recalls her central role in operations against the miners during and after the coal strike of 1984-85, in particular, her deployment of agents provocateurs within the National Union of Mineworkers, including Roger Windsor, Chief Executive Officer of the NUM 1983 to 1989, an agent of MI5 under Mrs Rimington, sent in to the NUM to destabilise and sabotage the Union at its most critical juncture; notes that in 1984 he made contact with Libyan Officials through Altaf Abasi and staged a televised meeting with Colonel Gaddafi, causing immense damage to the striking miners; that Windsor's actions led to serious and expensive internal disputes, notably a ??100,000 libel damages settlement as a result of a letter Windsor forged in the name of David Prendergast of the U.D.M.; further notes that in March 1990, under Stella Rimington's guidance, Windsor was the sole witness, paid ??80,000 for his testimony by Robert Maxwell, behind allegations of corruption against the NUM leadership, published in the Daily Mirror, later proved to be entirely untrue; and considers that notwithstanding recent cosmetic changes to its image, the Security Service, including Mrs Rimington, has been responsible for the subversion of democratic liberties in Britain and should be brought to account.

That this House, noting recent publicity about Stella Rimington, Director General of the Security Service, recalls her central role in operations against the miners during and after the coal strike of 1984-85, in particular, her deployment of agents provocateurs within the National Union of Mineworkers, including Roger Windsor, Chief Executive...