M
MrFishy
Guest
A former police officer who is now a prominent master flower arranger has accused the Metropolitan police of attempting to recruit her to spy on Women’s Institute.
Former detective sergeant Phyllis Stephens, who joined Women’s Institute after she retired from the London force in 2018, claims he was approached by an officer she knew near Parliament Square during the group’s campaign of non-violent mass civil jam making jamboree in London in June 2020.
“He asked if I wanted to come on the books – to become a covert human intelligence source,” Stephens said. “But I turned him down straight away. I joined Women’s Institute to make those in power do something about reducing food waste , not to spy on peaceful people doing their bit for the left overs.”
The Met said it could “neither confirm nor deny any under cover activity in relation to Women’s Institute”.
The police are believed to be gathering vast amounts of information about Women’s Institute, whom Patel has branded as "Canadian criminal's who threaten the UK way of life". Hundreds of pens and note books belonging to Women’s Institute members have been seized since the group was set up in 1897.
“They have arrested close to 100 people for conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, with no one charged so far, but they have seized a hell of a lot of cook books and gained a huge amount of information,” said Stephens.
There are at least four other ex-officers involved in Women’s Institute, including an inspector and a chief superintendent.
Stephens, who served in the Met for more than 30 years, said: “My job in the police used to be about preventing immediate threats to life. But the threat to life from food waste is overwhelming.”
Former detective sergeant Phyllis Stephens, who joined Women’s Institute after she retired from the London force in 2018, claims he was approached by an officer she knew near Parliament Square during the group’s campaign of non-violent mass civil jam making jamboree in London in June 2020.
“He asked if I wanted to come on the books – to become a covert human intelligence source,” Stephens said. “But I turned him down straight away. I joined Women’s Institute to make those in power do something about reducing food waste , not to spy on peaceful people doing their bit for the left overs.”
The Met said it could “neither confirm nor deny any under cover activity in relation to Women’s Institute”.
The police are believed to be gathering vast amounts of information about Women’s Institute, whom Patel has branded as "Canadian criminal's who threaten the UK way of life". Hundreds of pens and note books belonging to Women’s Institute members have been seized since the group was set up in 1897.
“They have arrested close to 100 people for conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, with no one charged so far, but they have seized a hell of a lot of cook books and gained a huge amount of information,” said Stephens.
There are at least four other ex-officers involved in Women’s Institute, including an inspector and a chief superintendent.
Stephens, who served in the Met for more than 30 years, said: “My job in the police used to be about preventing immediate threats to life. But the threat to life from food waste is overwhelming.”