This is the first complete history of the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police from its formation in 1883 to its demise in 2006, when it was subsumed into the Counter Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police Service.

The first Special Branch was set up as the 'Special Irish Branch' to combat the threat posed by the Irish Republican Brotherhood. From there its early role broadened to include tackling the suffragettes, anarchists and Bolsheviks, as well as more peaceful responsibilities like naturalisation, VIP protection and port controls. 

The book details some of the mostfascinating espionage stories from the Branch's long history, including how itwas used to counter the rise of British fascism before the war. It deals withthe rivalry between Special Branch and MI5 which ended with the lattereventually wresting back primacy in the investigation of Irish republicanterrorism on mainland Britain from the former.