24 September 2025

The SDLP will push for further scrutiny of unlawful surveillance of journalists, including consideration of a Policing Board inquiry and examination by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.

The party has expressed alarm that the review found 20 PSNI applications for journalists’ communications data were unlawful, raising serious concerns about surveillance practices and unanswered questions that remain outside the review’s remit.

The SDLP has insisted that any further investigation cannot be limited to what is essentially a “desktop exercise” within McCullough’s current terms of reference, but must include wider examination of surveillance across policing and intelligence agencies.

SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP said:

"While we welcome the McCullough Review and a measure of openness from the PSNI, its limited scope leaves substantial unanswered questions.

"There are persistent concerns about surveillance concentrated on PSNI officers and staff which the review did not address. We also need a wider examination of surveillance by other intelligence agencies against journalists and lawyers to allay fears of systemic abuse of powers.

"Given the potential role of Covert Human Intelligence Sources, it is far from clear that we have yet seen the full picture of surveillance undertaken by the PSNI.

"We are also fully aware that despite warm words from the Justice Minister and the wider NI Executive, evidence of delivery on the PSNI Business Recovery Plan is in short supply. We know that implementing many of the McCullough recommendations will place additional resource strain on the PSNI, therefore, the SDLP are calling on the Justice Minister to provide further clarity on PSNI funding and the Executive's commitment to the recovery plan set out by the Chief Constable."

SDLP Policing Board member Colin McGrath MLA added:

"This report highlights incidents where direct surveillance applications were disproportionate, even ‘trigger-happy’. These are not the actions of a police force acting cautiously with respect to the Article 8 and 10 rights protected under the ECHR.

"We now need firm assurances and a robust review mechanism that lessons have been learned and that these mistakes will not be repeated."