London Olympics uncovered: 'An Phoblacht' sellers and union activists on secret blacklist

» Mark Moloney

'We are calling for an independent inquiry because we want to get access to all of the information and get some of the police officers involved actually in the witness box under oath when giving evidence.'

AN PHOBLACHT sellers may have been among trade union and political activists blacklisted from work on projects such as the London Olympics, a British Labour Party MP says.

Secret files compiled by a private research company based on information supplied by MI5 and Special Branch were used to vet thousands of potential employees.

John McDonnell MP told The Irish Post newspaper in Britain that workers had been placed on the list for a number of reasons – including selling political newspapers, possibly including An Phoblacht, for raising health and safety concerns and for trade union activity.

“We are calling for an independent inquiry because we want to get access to all of the information and get some of the police officers involved actually in the witness box under oath when giving evidence.”

A letter sent from the Balfour Beatty global construction company to the Olympic Delivery Authority showed the company had used the services of a blacklisting organisation called the Consulting Association in 2008. In a raid on the offices of the Consulting Association in 2009 by the Information Commissioner, a list of 3,200 construction workers was found – 44 different construction companies had used the list to vet staff.

Labour Party Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP told the British Parliament that secret intelligence files had been used to vet thousands of workers for constuction projects as part of the London Olympics. Umunna described the practice as “shameful” and “a national scandal” adding:

“For a long time, many construction workers have suspected that they were being systematically denied work – work that they were more than qualified to do. As a result, lives have been ruined.”

Umunna also said an independent investigation could address allegations that MI5 and the police Special Branch used similar tactics against Irish construction staff in the 1970s and even used their powers to bar Irish workers from employment on British Government contracts.

Currently 80 claimants, at least 20 of them Irish, are taking a case against the Sir Roger McAlpine construction company, alleging the company used the blacklist to deny them work. Legal actions against other companies are expected at the London High Court.