Two former wives of undercover police officers who deceived other women into intimate relationships have defended the campaign by cosmetics retailer Lush to highlight the misconduct of the police spies.

While married with children, their husbands had sexual relationships with campaigners when they infiltrated political groups. The husbands kept these relationships secret from their wives, who say they now feel betrayed.

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It is the first time the two wives have spoken out. Also coming to the defence of Lush is the son of an undercover police officer who abandoned him as a child. The officer kept his true identity secret from him and his mother for years.

They join a large number of politicians, lawyers, union officials, victims and a whistleblower who have defended Lush.

Lush’s campaign has been criticised by, among others the home secretary Sajid Javid as being poorly judged and anti-police.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Home secretary Sajid Javid has been criticised by the abandoned son of an undercover police officer for trying ‘to win favour with the police by calling on Lush to withdraw their campaign’. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Lush storefronts have been decorated with fake police tape, and photos of a model dressed both as an policeman and an activist, with the slogans “Police have crossed the line” and “Paid to lie”.

In a letter to the Guardian, the two former wives, who remain anonymous, say Lush’s campaign has done more to publicise the issue in a weekend than a public inquiry which started three years ago.

The pair are critical of the inquiry, which is examining the activities of undercover officers since 1968. Costing more than £10m so far, the inquiry, led by Sir John Mitting, was due to conclude this year but will not hear any evidence until June 2019.

“Although the events in question took place many years ago, they continue to have a profound effect and we are still waiting for the officers concerned (as well as their chain of command) to give an account in public,” said the two former wives.

The inquiry has been delayed as many officers have sought legal orders to keep their identities secret. Mitting has also been criticised as old-fashioned and out-of-touch by victims of the undercover police.

The ex-wives add: “Our view is that the amount of public money spent to date for such little progress is of far greater concern than the Lush campaign. Its campaign has not only drawn attention to the plight of some of the victims but has also brought into focus legitimate concerns about how the inquiry is proceeding, which we also share.”

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“We would like supporters of the police who are criticising Lush to be aware that we, as affected police ex-wives, endorse the points that Lush are now publicising. Lush’s campaign is not an attack on hard-working police officers and we ask critics of the campaign to hold an open mind, look into the facts of this issue.”

Bob Lambert, an undercover officer who infiltrated activist groups in the 1980s, had a relationship with a campaigner, known as Jacqui, while concealing his real identity from her. They had a son. Lambert abandoned both of them when he disappeared at the end of his covert deployment. Jacqui and the son only discovered the truth by chance more than two decades later.

The son, who is anonymous, said: “I am really grateful to Lush for bringing undercover policing back to the spotlight. Seeing Sajid Javid try and use it to win favour with the police by calling on Lush to withdraw their campaign has really upset me.”