Open Blair files, say campaigners

Witnesses said they saw police beat him repeatedly about the head with truncheons. No-one has been held accountable for his death.

But now a campaign has been launched, demanding the release of a secret police document produced by the then-Metropolitan Police commander who investigated his death.

Celia Stubbs, Blair Peach's former partner of 10 years said: "It's the principal of the thing. If it is an investigation, then it is only reasonable that the events of the investigation should be made public."

"If we manage to get it made it public, then it might help future cases."

The campaign is being co-ordinated by Inquest, a London-based charity that provides a free advice service to bereaved people on contentious deaths .

Deborah Coles, co-director at Inquest said: "We have written to Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson demanding that police provide full access to the report following Blair Peach's death.

"It is in the public interest that the veil of secrecy was lifted and justice was done once and for all.

"It is unacceptable that the family are being denied access to the report."

A spokesman for the Met said: "We have not recently had any contact with Blair Peach's family.

"The Metropolitan Police Service has a duty of care to the family and cannot act in a manner that could cause distress where there is either a legal restriction and/or a reasonable justification for not doing so."