This week I spoke with Colin Thomas and Tim Beasley of the Bristol Radical History Group to discuss the history of state surveillance in their pamphlet ‘State Snooping – Spooks, Cops and Double Agents’. From the reign of Elizabeth I right up until the present day, the British state has used spies, informants and double agents to infiltrate what it perceives to be dissident organisations. We discussed the development of surveillance institutions and the ways in which their activities have been resisted.
Bristol History Podcast is dedicated to exploring various aspects of Bristol’s history, hosted by Tom Brothwell. Produced in partnership with the Bristol Cable since April 2018.
Keep the Lights On
Investigative journalism strengthens democracy – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.
The Cable is Bristol’s independent, investigative newsroom. Owned and steered by more than 2,600 members, we produce award-winning journalism that digs deep into what’s happening in Bristol.
We are on a mission to become sustainable – will you help us get there?
Comments
Related content
A year ago, Bristol showed up to resist racist, anti-migrant hatred. But the fight’s not over
Bristolians have been reflecting on the days of defiance in August last year. Who should we thank, who is to blame? And as the far right prepares to return to our streets this weekend, how do we build on the resistance?
Listen: The Debrief – what a leaked police report revealed about racial inequalities in stop-and-search
A report leaked to the Cable showed the shocking fact that Black people are 25 times likelier to be strip-searched than white peers. Sean Morrison and Priyanka Raval ask what the findings say about police institutional racism.
