Organised by the International Socialists, later the Socialist Workers Party, the Right to Work marches started in 1972. Groups staged a series of rolling marches across Britain that sometimes concluded with a large rally. It was targeted by HN80 'Colin Clark'HN80 'Colin Clark''Colin Clark' was the assumed name of an officer who joined the SDS in September 1976. From March 1977, he infiltrated several north London branches and the national office of the Socialist Workers Party, helping to organise the 1981 Right to Work march. He also infiltrated the Anti-Nazi League before his deployment ended in March 1982. His real name has been restricted.
and HN155 'Phil Cooper'HN155 'Phil Cooper''Phil Cooper' is the fake name of an SDS undercover who joined the unit in Autumn 1979. He was deployed into the Socialist Workers Party via the Waltham Forest Anti Nuclear Campaign and worked in the national SWP headquarters. Inquiry Chair Mitting found as a matter of fact that he had several casual sexual relationships while undercover. His real name has been restricted.
in the early 1980s.
SDS manager HN307 Trevor ButlerHN307 Trevor ButlerDetective inspector Trevor Butler joined the SDS as its second-in-command in September 1979. He was acting chief inspector of the SDS from March 1981 and confirmed in the role in July 1981. He left the unit in early 1982. Butler wrote the 1979 Annual Report, which Inquiry chair John Mitting found 'partial and inadequate' in its description of the events surrounding the death of Blair Peach. He gave written and oral evidence to the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Full page: HN307 Trevor Butlercited two instances of SDS assistance as examples of effective policing during the 1980 and 1981 Right to Work marches. However, there was substantial public disorder in 1980, when RTW demonstrators picketed the Conservative Party conference in Brighton, although undercover HN80 'Colin Clark' was a campaign coordinator at the time.SDS Annual Report 1980, inc letter from Asst Commissioner seeking authorisation to continue, 23 Mar 1981, Metropolitan Police Special Branch, MPS-0728962.View DocumentSDS Annual Report 1981, inc Home Office letter authorising continuation, 1 May 1982, Metropolitan Police Special Branch, MPS-0728985.View Document
As with most demonstrations that the IS/SWP organised, the Right to Work marches had a well-publicised schedule; therefore, it is unclear what additional information the SDS could have provided for these events that were publicly advertised.
The only other recorded instance of public disorder during these events occurred in 1976 when a Right to Work march passed through Hendon and was attacked by the police. Hartlepool Mail, 44 'Right to Work' marchers in court, Hartlepool Mail, 20 Mar 1976.
Report on weekly meeting of Hammersmith International Socialists discussing the upcoming Right to Work rally on 20 March, held at Westcott Lodge pub W6 on 11 March 1976
Report on weekly meeting of Hammersmith International Socialists at which solicitor John Witzenfeld discussed his work ensuring the release of 44 Right to Work marchers, held at the Windmill pub, High St W3 on 25 March 1976
Report on a public meeting of the Save Acton Hospital Campaign inc screening of IS film stopped due to adverse response, held at Woodlands Hall W3 on 13 April 1976
Report on meeting of Hammersmith IS discussing present construction of the branch and upcoming Save Acton Hospital picket, held at redacted home of Barry Pavier and Pete Cannell on 6 May 1976
Report on a regular weekly meeting of the Hackney International Socialists inc speech from a member of Building Workers branch of IS about Right to Work campaign, held at Centerprise on 8 July 1976
Report on the inaugural meeting of the newly amalgamated International Socialists district branch of North West and Inner West London, held at Hampstead Heath NW3 on 27 June 1976
Report on regular weekly meeting of Finsbury Park International Socialists inc talk 'Women - the fight for equality' and discussion of Right to Work march, held at redacted venue on 18 Aug 1976
Report on meeting of Deptford SWP discussing how public meetings of various groups could be protected from attacks by the National Front and the police, held at Oxford Arms pub, Deptford Church St SE14 on Fri 8 July
Report on a meeting of N London district SWP and people involved in the September Right to Work March, following the Battle of Lewisham anti-fascist demo, held at redacted address on 13 Aug 1977
Report that there will be a re-election of party officers in the Waltham Forest District of the SWP as Treasurer HN354 'intends taking a prolonged holiday in the USA'
Extract from a Special Branch report by HN80 that, as book keeper of the Right to Work, he will authorise opening a bank account in the name of the RtW Committee
Report on meeting of Greenwich SWP chaired by HN124-HN356 on the subject of Racism and Fascism, held at Charlton House, Hornfair Road, Charlton SE7 on 25 June 1980
Report on district committee meeting of NW London SWP discussing an industrial dispute at Balco Engineering Works, held at Lancefield Buliding, Beethoven Street W10 on 17 June 1980
Report on public meeting of the Right to Work Campaign inc a performance of 'The Participation Waltz' by the Broadside Mobile Workers Theatre, held at the Howard Hall, Ponders End, Enfield on 20 March 1980
Report on upcoming demo by Socialist Workers Party's Right to Work Campaign to coincide with visit by Social Services Secretary Patrick Jenkins MP, to be held at Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone E11 on 11 July 1980
Report on a half-day SWP conference formulating Party perspectives and activities, held at Friends Meeting House, Euston Rd, 9 Aug 1980, inc minute sheet
Report on aggregate meeting of Lea Valley District SWP inc talk on 'United Front Politics', held at Highgate Wood Lower School, Wolesey Road, Hornsey N8 on 27 Aug 1980, inc internal news sheet of 25 Aug 1980 (attached)
Report on the founding conference of the Defend Our Unions Campaign organised by the Right to Work Campaign, held at The Roebuck pub, Tottenham Court Road W1 on 5 July 1980
Report on meeting called by the SWP Central Committee for all London Branch & District Secretaries to stimulate support for demo at Tory Party conference on 10 Oct, to be held at the Friends Meeting House, Euston Road NW1 on 20 Sept 1980
Report listing members of the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions who attended the TUC Conference, held at Brighton Conference Centre on 1 Sept 1980
Report on charter train and other transport arrangements for Right to Work Campaign supporters to travel to Brighton for the demo at the Tory conference, inc lots of docs with contracts, donations and leaflets (attached)
Report that the Right to Work March council has designated a committee to identify sites in London for possible occupation and public disorder in October 1980
Report on meeting to finalise arrangements for the Right to Work March picket of the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton on 10 Oct, held at Middlesex Polytechnic on 5 Oct 1980
Report on upcoming 1980 National Delegate Conference of the SWP moving dates and venues, now to be held at the Africa Centre, 38 King Street WC2 on 13-17 Dec 1980, inc leaflets supporting Irish republican prisoners and SWP weekly internal news sheets
Report that the Right to Work march will join the Mass Rally Against Unemployment in Liverpool on 29 Nov 1980, inc 18 pages of SWP leaflets and 3 weekly internal news sheets (attached)
Report on a planned march of unemployed people from Liverpool to London organised by the Labour Party and TUC's NW and SE regions, Right to Work planning parallel march from Newcastle, to be held on May 1981, inc 10 pages of SWP docs and leaflets (attache
Report submitting SE London Right to Work Campaign leaflet on future events, norting it includes demo at Eltham police station on anniversary of Blair Peach's death
Report on political activity of Mike Griffin of the Right to Work Campaign, inc Feb 1981 Socialist Worker article 'Miners All Set To Fight Pit Closures' that mentions him (attached)
Report that the National Secretary of the Right to Work Campaign authorised payment of fines incurred for motoring offences by one its members while driving for the 1980 RtW march
Report listing participants in the 1980 Right to Work Campaign march rom Port Talbot to London, culminating in march to Brighton to picket the Conservative Paryy conference (list wholly redacted)
Report on upcoming 'People's March for Jobs' organised by NE Region of Trade Union Congress, to go from Liverpool to London on 1-30 May 1981, inc leaflet and internal organisation docs (attached)
MI5 note for file reporting meeting between DI Butler, DI HN68 and F6 to discuss info requests and update on SDS personnel, held in F6 office on 7 April 1981
Report on SWP public meeting 'From Riot to Revolution', held at Stockwell Hall SW9 then the New Queen's Head pub on 16 July 1981, inc leaflets for the event and for the Right to Work march (attached)
Report on meeting to plan the Right to Work march and its culmination at the Tory conference in Blackpool on 16 Oct, held at SWP HQ, Reading Lane E8 on 5 Aug 1981
Report on personal and political details of a 16 year old National Committee member of the National Union of School Students and contributor to SWP's youth publication 'Rebel'
Report on a meeting between the People’s Campaign for Jobs and the Right to Work Campaign finalising demo at the Tory conference in Blackpool, held at Community Press Centre, Lancaster Rd, Preston on 26 Sept 1981
Report that the Right to Work Campaign plans to hold a march and demo in London in Feb 1982 to coincide with Labour Party Young Socialists' lobbying of parliament on 25 Feb, HN155 is treasurer of organising committee
Report on a meeting of SWP London District Committee discuss the London Right to Work march co-chaired by HN155, held at the Cock pub, Phoenix Road N1 on 5 Jan 1982
Report on a meeting of the Paddington SWP, held at the Lisson Grove Estate Residents' Association Club, Rossmore Road NW8 on 20 Jan 1982, inc leaflet for Right to Work march on parliament in Feb (attached)
Report submitting a blank Right to Work Campaign sponsorship sheet for a sponsored run, to be held from Hampstead Heath to Parliament Hill on 14 Feb 1982 (attached)
Report on meeting of Paddington SWP discussing upcoming Feb 1982 Right to Work Campaign march, held at the Lisson Grove Estate Residents' Association Club on 27 Jan 1982
Report on 2 closed meetings of the planning committee of the London Right to Work march, held at SOAS on 15 Jan 1982, and at the Alan Mawar Room, University of London, Gower Street on 22 Jan 1982
Report on a meeting of the planning committee of the London Right to Work march with details of route and entertainment, held at SWP Central Office, Reading Lane E8 on 9 Feb 1982
Report submitting letter from West Hampstead Community Law Centre to a member of the Right to Work Campaign offering support for Feb 1982 march (attached)
Report on letter from Ernie Roberts MP to the National Chairman of the Labour Party Young Socialists saying they shouldn't be at odds with the Right to Work Campaign (transcript - not the original letter - attached)
Report on a secret letter from the Secretary of the Dublin Unemployed Action Group asking the Right to Work Campaign for tips and assistance, (attached, with DUAG leaflet)
MI5 note for liaison file after discussion between Dave Short, Martin Gray and F6 listing current SDS officers with RF numbers and the groups they're infiltrating, held at the SDS office on 11 March 1982, inc MI5 briefings on the SWP (attached)
Report on personal family and accommodation details of a 'schoolgirl' member of Harlesden SWP, inc photo taken on the Feb 1982 Right to Work march (attached but redacted)
Report that two prominent members of the SWP represented the Right to Work Campaign at a meeting with the Dublin Unemployed Action Group that ended with cancellation of a planned right to work march there
MI5 note for liaison file on meeting between HN68 and F6 discussing HN155 being a useful source at the heart of the SWP but a worry due to his personal conduct, held at the SDS office on 28 July 1982
Report on plans by Socialist Workers Party to organise a national mobilisation of their membership to attend the Right to Work Campaign picket of the Tory conference in Brighton on 8 Oct 1982
Report on the Right to Work Campaign demo outside the Tory conference, held at Brighton Conference Centre on 8 Oct 1982, inc 49 pages of docs relating to campaign finances and arrests (attached)
