Unseen papers show cabinet members promoted a documentary aimed at influencing trial of the ‘Shrewsbury 24’ building workersPreviously unseen documents that implicate former prime minister Edward Heath in a concerted attempt to influence the jury in one of the most controversial prosecutions of trade unionists in British history will be revealed to parliament this week.
It is understood that a file of newly unearthed papers suggests that some of the most senior members of Heath’s 1972 Conservative cabinet and members of the security services commissioned and promoted an ITV documentary entitled Red Under the Bed that was screened on the day the jury went out to consider the case against the “Shrewsbury 24”. One of the previously unseen files shows that Heath,on seeing a transcript of the film ahead of the trade unionists conviction, informed the cabinet secretary: “We want as much as possible of this.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com