Lawrence Family To Ask May For Public Inquiry Stephen Lawrence's family are meeting the Home Secretary to ask for a new public inquiry into claims that police secretly hunted for information to smear their campaign. Michael Mansfield QC, who represents the family of the murdered student, said they also want the inquiry to investigate all cases of undercover activity carried out by the Metropolitan Police's former Special Demonstration Squad throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It follows claims by one of the squad's former undercover officers, Peter Francis, that he was told to "dig up dirt" on the Lawrence family, Stephen's friend Duwayne Brooks, who witnessed the murder, and campaigners shortly after Stephen's death in 1993. Mother Doreen Lawrence Allegations have also been made that officers secretly bugged meetings they held with Mr Brooks and his lawyers. Earlier this week, Mrs May said Mr Francis' claims would instead be investigated in two ongoing inquiries - one into the undercover operations of the Special Demonstration Squad and another into alleged police corruption in the original Lawrence inquiry. After the announcement, Mr Lawrence said he had "no confidence" that these would get to the bottom of the issue. Mrs May said she would be "ruthless" in purging the Metropolitan Police of any misconduct and made clear that prosecutions could follow the inquiries. Father Neville Lawrence Scotland Yard said it was investigating reports that officers secretly bugged meetings with Mr Brooks. "An investigation into the circumstances of what took place has now been started by the DPS (Directorate of Professional Standards), " it said. This investigation will seek to establish exactly what was authorised and what happened to any material which may have been gathered, in the context of the legal framework of that time.