High street store Lush brands the police "liars"

I have no problem with the police in general, but I did think I would look into the campaign a bit more and the thinking behind it.

Having done that, I can see that the subject of the delayed enquiry did need some publicity. perhaps the campaign was a bit cack handed, but it was in no way done to gain some "left wing kudos" nor is it in any way concerned with Jeremy Corbyn

So Maggie what would you have suggested the various women do when the state was letting them down? It’s easy to criticise Lush but it would be interesting to know what alternative courses of action were open to the women. It’s intellectually lazy to criticise without an alternative solution

Well said Maggie

Those of us critical of the campaign have all acknowledged that there are corrupt police officers. None of us have written in their defence. I know that you've stated on GN that you are intellectually superior to many of us, maryeliza, but even so most of us have read a news report or two in our time, so will have been aware of the issue, just as I assume you were. We don't need to be educated by the people selling us our soap.

Of course I have concern for the people (not all of them women) caught up in the undercover work, but I also have concern for the over-stretched, already much maligned police officer on the front line, who has been dragged into something that he/she had absolutely nothing to do with.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jun/06/spycop-ex-wives-we-support-the-lush-campaign

This is the letter - it’s hard to avoid being critical of the police/HO isn’t it? When there are concerns about police conduct , families very often have to fight hard for years to be listened to - let alone to get justice. Uncritical support for the police can be very dangerous

It would be really lovely if those of you who criticised the campaign showed some concern for the women caught up in the undercover work. And I don’t just mean the women from the groups that were infiltrated - this week in the Guardian there was a letter from two women who had been married to two of the policemen when they went undercover and then had to find out that their husbands were cheating on them and even fathering other children. They were very critical of the inordinate delay in the review even starting and the reasons why. They are grateful to Lush for getting their concerns into the public eye again after it seemed that no one least of all the Government or the Police cared. Perhaps those of you so critical of the campaign could suggest what could have been done instead? How many of you even knew of the issue and that the review was being held up?

Or perhaps you should stick to the subject of the thread?

I was thinking on wider issues Maggiemaybe such as the Steven Laurence affair and many more I could name if I set my mind to it.

Perhaps you ought to read my post in a wider context?

Perhaps you should RTFT, OldMeg. I see no reason to repeat my earlier posts, explaining why I think the campaign was unfair on, as I said, the vast majority of police officers.

As for intimidation, a member of my family recently had acid thrown in his face while arresting a person you really wouldn't want in your neighbourhood. If it hadn't been for the quick thinking of a colleague who picked up a hosepipe and drenched him with it, he'd be blind and disfigured now. As it is his sight is compromised. Didn't even make the local paper.

The Lush campaign, with its simple message that the police are paid to lie, has no doubt given a few more morons the justification they need for that sort of behaviour against the pigs.

That's reprehensible ilovecheese; the campaign was nothing to do with the staff in the shops and they didn't deserve to get flack because of the campaign.

The shop staff. Were intimidated. I have been reading a bit more about the campaign, which is supported by the wives of the undercover officers who had affairs with, and in some cases, children with the women they were supposed to be monitoring. It is also supported by some Mps. The Government had promised an enquiry into the conduct of the officers concerned and the Lush campaign was brought about to hurry the Government up a bit.
Since reading a bit more about it I can see that the campaign was a good idea, but too easy to misinterpret.

People were going in to the shops to tear down the posters and frightening the staff, who are mainly young women.

Since when have the police been beyond criticism?

I’m glad. Though I’m sorry they didn’t cancel it because it was unfair to the vast majority of police officers.

Lush have decided to drop their anti spy cops campaign "for the safety of our staff".

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44413586

Thank goodness for that. It was an ill conceived idea n the first place.

during the Brexit vote lush said they were going to move all admin/HQ/etc out of the UK if the vote was yes.

As far as I know that hasnt happened.

So it seems like they just like headlines. Any headlines.

I agree with Chewbacca's post Sun 03-Jun-18 16:39:39

If I wanted to buy over-scented soap I don't want to be subjected to their political agenda. If I want to listen to all that I would go to a political meeting (or go on GN!)

We do know that at least some of them were paid to lie - some hsv3 lost jobs and women hav3 been paid compensation. There have been court cases - I think the enquiry is about how it was allowed to happen etc I don’t think that there’s anything intrinsically wrong with a window display - I had to put up with enough during the RW - boycotted the shops as any of us can do. It’s hardly as if lush products are essential

Lush has delivered the verdict

until the enquiry has gone ahead and a verdict we dont know if THESE police were paid to lie .Undercover police... isn't lying part of the job ?

Personally, I can't think of a worse combination than a retail outlet having a political agenda to promote to their busy customers. When I'm dashing into the shops in my lunch hour, looking for something for that evening's supper, I'd rather not be waylaid by someone banging their political drum and trying to engage me in political discourse. As said upthread, political tub thumpers and evangelists standing on street corners can be neatly side stepped and ignored, but I'd rather not get embroiled whilst out shopping. Might make me lose my temper.

No, not different in Scotland, we have local shops campaigning against selling off some local green space.

Big difference in supporting the local hospital and stating police are paid to lie.

well shops local to me have had campaings running and I haven't seen anyone running for the hills .One supporting the local hospital thats facing closure.One against local council cuts in parks and gardens .If people see whats happening locally and have somewhere to sign up to the petitions they will.Seems we do things differently here in Scotland.

It would lemon.

And their messages would all, most likely, be allied to their political leanings.

Lush's poorly thought through and arrogant campaign has backfired on them massively. If other shops thought it was their duty to 'educate' passers-by they too could lose customers and their good will.

Exactly Day6 can you imagine that scenario, every shop shrieking a message as you pass by?