High Street cosmetics chain Lush was condemned yesterday after it launched an ‘anti-police hate campaign’.
The Home Secretary, crime chiefs and a police widow were among those ‘appalled’ by the company’s astonishing decision to put photos of police officers under the words ‘Paid to Lie’ in its shop windows to draw attention to the so-called ‘spy cops’ scandal.
They said the ‘crass and insensitive campaign’ – approved by the chain’s Jeremy Corbyn-supporting co-founder Mark Constantine – stereotypes all police officers as corrupt and ‘includes some fundamental misrepresentations of the facts’.
The window displays appeared in Lush’s 105 outlets under the headline ‘Paid to Lie’
Lush’s co-founder Mark Constantine, left, has appeared on stage with Jeremy Corbyn, right
In a bizarre stunt, Lush is supporting the Police Spies Out of Lives campaign for women who were duped into relationships by undercover officers who infiltrated anti-capitalist and green protest groups over a 40-year period.
In the window displays of Lush’s 105 outlets, a split-face image of a police officer in uniform and undercover appears under the headline ‘Paid to Lie’. Mock crime scene police tape also carries the phrase ‘Police have crossed the line’. Similar materials are promoted on the Lush website.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid condemned the chain, saying: ‘Never thought I would see a mainstream British retailer running a public advertising campaign against our hardworking police. This is not a responsible way to make a point.’
The campaign argues the deception by the undercover officers led to the systemic, institutional sexist abuse of female activists – some of whom had officers’ children – and has criticised the inquiry into the scandal.
The retailer’s decision to support the campaign was driven by environmental activist Rebecca Lush. Miss Lush has no relation to the origins of Lush but advises it on how to support activists.
It was given the go-ahead by Lush co-founder Mr Constantine, who holds Left-wing views and has appeared on stage with Jeremy Corbyn.
But the controversial move saw the chain accused of smearing all police officers.
Former Metropolitan police chief inspector Peter Kirkham accused Lush of running an ‘anti-police hate campaign’.
‘Your anti-police advertising campaign is an utter disgrace,’ he wrote on Twitter.
‘It stereotypes ALL police officers as corrupt & includes some fundamental misrepresentations of the facts.’
Chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Sara Thornton said: ‘We fully accept that some undercover policing operations, ethics and behaviour in the past were a violation of the victims’ human rights, an abuse of police power and caused significant trauma.’
But she added: ‘This campaign from Lush UK is both insulting and damaging to the tens of thousands of officers who place themselves in harm’s way to protect the public on a daily basis, and who have nothing at all to do with the undercover inquiry.’ The head of the National Crime Agency, Lynne Owens, warned Lush had undermined public confidence in the police, while vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales Che Donald suggested people boycott the retailer.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, David Jamieson, said: ‘This is a crass and insensitive campaign … Lush have needlessly waded into a highly complex area.’
Meanwhile Christine Fulton, whose police officer husband Lewis was stabbed to death while on duty in Glasgow in 1994, said: ‘I am appalled at the campaign by Lush, the police service should be supported and respected.
‘Who do Lush call when they have a shoplifter, their staff are abused or their stores broken into? Hang your heads in shame.’
The officers at the centre of the spy cops scandal were part of the Special Demonstration Squad, a unit within the Metropolitan Police’s Special Branch tasked with infiltrating various protest groups over 40 years.
Some of the officers involved were disciplined or sacked and the unit was shut down in 2008.
Compensation of £400,000 has been paid to one woman who had a child and the Met has officially apologised to eight women whose rights had been violated. Theresa May set up a public inquiry into the scandal in 2015.
However, Lush has joined women who were fooled by the officers in criticising the way it is being handled. Specifically, they claim it has given some of the officers involved anonymity, while the police are allegedly keeping the full details of which groups were infiltrated a secret.
Miss Lush said: ‘When Theresa May launched this public inquiry we all hoped that the truth about this scandal would finally be exposed and that the disgraceful police tactics would be examined.
‘Instead, the public inquiry chair is making the inquiry more secretive and is granting the police anonymity in secret hearings. It is time the Home Secretary listened to the victims and appointed a diverse panel to hear the full evidence.’
Mr Constantine – a herbal trichologist – was also critical of the way the inquiry is being run, saying: ‘Confidence in the police will never be restored until this public inquiry does its job.’
The Corbyn supporter has previously made cash donations to the successful election campaign of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, Martyn Underhill, a former police officer.
Mr Underhill, who ran as an independent, backed the Lush campaign.
He said the deployment of the undercover officers in these cases was ‘disproportionate and distasteful’, adding: ‘I do support Lush in exposing this issue.’
Last night Lush said: ‘To clear this up, this isn’t an anti-police campaign, it’s to highlight the abuse that people face when their lives have been infiltrated by undercover police.’
Environmental zealot behind new campaign
Rebecca Lush, pictured, is the driving force behind Lush’s ‘Paid to Lie’ campaign
Environmental activist Rebecca Lush, 46, is the driving force behind Lush’s ‘Paid to Lie’ campaign against rogue undercover police officers.
She has no connection with the firm’s founding, but is described as its adviser on supporting activists and its charitable giving co-ordinator.
In the 1990s and early 2000s Miss Lush became known for helping organise major UK road protests, demonstrating with anti-roads campaigner Daniel Hooper, known as Swampy.
Their most famous stand involved occupying trees in a bid to stop the Newbury bypass in Berkshire. In 1993 Miss Lush was jailed for a month for breaking a High Court injunction banning her from Twyford Down, Hampshire.
In 2005 she founded Road Block, a support organisation for anti-road campaigners.
That year she ‘pied’ Jeremy Clarkson over his dismissive remarks on climate change, later doing the same to then Labour transport secretary Alistair Darling at the launch of a pro-aviation lobbying group.