'The Branch’ Part 2. DI Bob Pugh, recollects his 35 years in Scotland Yard’s Special Branch (MPSB), Britain’s secret police

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>'The Branch’</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>(Part 2)</em></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Season 2, Episode 0010 </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>DI Bob Pugh, recollects his 35 years in Scotland Yard’s Special Branch (MPSB), Britain’s secret police</em></strong></p> <p>Again this week's episode brings listeners a practically never before heard view from behind the scenes in the secret world of Scotland Yard's Special Branch.</p> <p>Formed in 1883, before the existence of the Security Service (MI5) in 1909, and The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) in 1911, the Metropolitan Police Special Branch was Britain’s first accredited internal secret service.</p> <p>Tasked with upholding the national security of the United Kingdom, The Branch would later share this role with MI5.</p> <p>However, because MI5 is not a law enforcement unit and therefore has no police powers of arrest or compunction, the Security Service has always required the assistance of the Branch or the police in general.</p> <p>Again in this week’s episode, Bob Pugh an ex Detective Inspector in the Branch, recollects his 35 years in MPSB and the exploits he undertook in the many departments and sections of The Branch.</p> <p>This continues the fascinating discussion form last week, so for anybody who has any interest in the covert world of national security, secret intelligence and allied geopolitics it's another must listen show. In this second part of this two week discussion, we learn about MPSB's close protection role and we touch on its deep cover activities.</p> <p>We also continue to touch on the Branch's investigative, secret intelligence and national security roles and the reasons for the Branch's eventual disbandment.</p> <p>We speak of Scotland Yard Special Branch officers bodyguard and its, and the Branch's successor organisation - SO1.</p> <p>We speak of the Branch's/SO1's responsibility for providing armed personal protection to Britain's highest ranking politicians