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Opening Statement On Behalf of Michael Mansfield KC in The Undercover Policing Inquiry

The hearings for Tranche 3 of the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) began on Monday 13 October 2025. The Inquiry is investigating the deployments of the Metropolitan Police Service’s Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) officers between 1993-2007.

The Inquiry’s open Tranche 3 hearings will run until July 2026. The first two phases of Tranche 3 will hear evidence from undercover officers and related non-state civilians. The final Phase will hear evidence from state officials in charge with the direction, authorisation, management and oversight of the undercover deployments.

The first days of the hearings in Phase 1 of Tranche 3 have encompassed opening statements on behalf of the state and non-state Core Participants.

Saunders Law represents renowned human rights barrister Michael Mansfield KC in the UCPI. Today, our instructed leading counsel, Imran Khan KC, delivered oral opening submissions on behalf of Mr Mansfield.

Mr Khan’s opening submissions focused on the alleged spying on Mr Mansfield by the SDS throughout his career and, in particular, during his representation of the family of Stephen Lawrence. It was during this period that whistleblowing undercover officer Peter Francis says that Mr Mansfield was described within the SDS and Special Branch as “the devil incarnate”.

In his opening submissions, Mr Khan also noted that while in the past, the targeting of lawyers by the state had mostly been carried out in secret, the rhetoric from current politicians is fuelling attacks on the legal profession and lawyers themselves. Mr Khan ended with the following conclusion:

“Lawyers will continue to be at the forefront of challenging draconian powers of the state. For Mr Mansfield it has been his life’s work challenging state power, advocating for the vulnerable, and upholding civil liberties. This Inquiry should not only recognise that such conduct should never have been the subject of police surveillance and those responsible held to account, but that it is vital in any democracy and must be protected at all costs.”

Our written opening statement on behalf of Michael Mansfield KC can be found here.

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