RMT demands answers in phone hacking scandal

09 December The following statement was issued by the RMT as the union demands answers from News International lawyers and the Leveson Inquiry

TRANSPORT UNION RMT today wrote to lawyers for News International demanding to know which journalists were involved in instructing an undercover surveillance operation against General Secretary Bob Crow by former policeman and MI5-trained Derek Webb. RMT is calling for full disclosure of information relating to the News International surveillance, and to any blagging and hacking operation against the union and its General Secretary.

Bob Crow’s name is amongst those, including Labour MP Tom Watson, on Derek Webb’s surveillance list.

In evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, RMT have outlined details of a long and sustained campaign against the union by News International titles and the Mail on Sunday dating back to 2002 including:

Illegal sourcing of data on the union and its officials from the DVLA and Police National Computer by the “investigator” Stephen Whittamore for sale to the Mail on Sunday.

Trawling of bins by the News International operatives at the union’s national conference last year which is currently subject to police investigations.

Harassment of national officials, their families and their neighbours by News International operatives.

The role of “key players” from News International, including Neville Thurlbeck, in the operation against RMT.

A spokesperson for RMT said:

“RMT lawyers have written to News Internationals lawyers today demanding information on the surveillance operation mounted against the union and asking for the names of those involved.

“RMT has also submitted a full dossier of information to the Leveson Inquiry dating back nearly a decade and we expect to be called to give further evidence in the near future.”