Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign
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40 YEARS ON – WHY AN ORGREAVE INQUIRY IS NECESSARY

Simon

An Orgreave inquiry is in the public interest in order to put the facts in the public domain and to put an end to years of lies and cover-ups by the Conservative government about the political role they played in orchestrating and managing the pit closure programme in the 1980’s, directing militaristic police operations in an industrial dispute and manipulating the courts and media to manufacture a false narrative to demonise and criminalise workers fighting for their jobs and communities.

Kevin Horne, Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign activist and ex miner arrested at Orgreave said:

“The continuing upset and anger in ex mining communities, government and police documents from the time of the strike hidden away from the public until at least 2066 and growing numbers who support this campaign for truth and justice, show it is necessary to hold an Orgreave inquiry to have an authoritative and full review of what happened and why we were treated so badly. We were only striking for the right to work.”

Kate Flannery, Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign Secretary said:

“The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign submitted detailed and compelling evidence to the Home Office about why an inquiry should take place into the state sanctioned police riot at Orgreave on 18th June 1984. Striking miners were violently assaulted,  95 miners were arrested to be later acquitted by the court due to police lies and fabricated evidence. Our powerful evidence seems to have been  ignored by the Home Office and they continue to rule out any kind of Orgreave inquiry. No one in the police or government have ever been held to account for what the government directed and the police did. This is a serious threat  to our already declining democracy”

John Dunn, Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign activist and ex miner assaulted by police and arrested during the strike  said:

“The Tories are obviously worried about an Orgreave inquiry further exposing their scandals, corruption and attempts to stifle dissent. Their recent raft of punitive and draconian policing anti-strike and anti-protest legislation is designed to criminalise us and shut us up. The right to protest and the right to strike is what we should expect in a democracy”

INFORMATION NOTES

More about the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign at the links below.

Background

  • Following the findings of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) scoping exercise in June 2015 the then Home Secretary, Theresa May, invited submissions for why an inquiry was needed into Orgreave.
  • The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign submitted a full written submission to the Home Office in December 2015.
  • A meeting took place subsequently with then Home Secretary, Amber Rudd in September 2016 where the format of an inquiry/investigation was discussed.
  • On 31st October 2016, in response to a question in parliament, Amber Rudd responded that there would be no inquiry of any kind.

Since October 2016 there have been significant developments: –

  • The release of some Home Office files  from 1984 and 1985 to the National Archives.
  • The existence of relevant documents from several police forces which have been sent to the South Yorkshire Police Archives for cataloguing in preparation for an inquiry.
  • The disclosure by the National Police Chiefs’ Council of the existence and location of Association of Chief Police Officers files relating to Orgreave and the miners strike that we understand are embargoed until 2066.
  • The independent approach to the Home Office by the Bishop of Sheffield in 2018 that there be an independent panel set up, similar to the format and terms of reference of the Hillsborough Independent Panel as a means to commence scrutiny and consideration. This was refused by then Home Secretary, Sajid Javid.
  • New evidence that has come to light as a result of the ongoing Undercover Police Inquiry, of which the National Union of Mineworkers is a core participant.
  • The findings of the Scottish Review into policing during the miners’ strike 1984-85, accepted by the Scottish Parliament in October 2020 and a collective pardoning of miners convicted during the strike. https://www.gov.scot/news/miners-strike-pardon-bill-passes/
  • The support of Conservative MSPs  for the Scottish Miners’ Review and its outcome.
  • The election of Conservative MPs in December 2019 to constituencies with large ex-mining communities.
  • The recent introduction of several new policing laws and the current climate of lack of public confidence in the sensitive issue of the policing of protest.
  • The Daily Mirror article exposing Amber Rudd’s conversation about not to hold an Orgreave Inquiry because it would “slur the memory of Thatcher” and upset party members. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/top-tories-blocked-orgreave-inquiry-25136059
  • The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign – Megaphone Petition: Demand an Orgreave inquiry for truth and justice. https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/demand-an-orgreave-inquiry-for-truth-and-justice
  • Various parliamentary debates and discussions relating to the need for an Orgreave inquiry and investigation into government involvement and policing during the 84/5 Miners’ strike.
  • Recent media coverage in 2023 highlighting the late Queen’s response to the police riot at the Orgreave coking plant in 1984. OTJC report and more media coverage here:  https://otjc.org.uk/even-the-queen-was-horrified-by-police-conduct-at-orgreave/
  • The announcement from the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party at the 2023 TUC that the Labour Party “support a full investigation into the violent events at Orgreave”
  • The 25th January 2024 Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary quote in the Rotherham Advertiser “We set out in the Labour Policy Forum that we support having an inquiry into what happened at Orgreave”
  • Margaret Thatcher’s PPS, Robin Butler stating publicly in a Channel 4 2024 documentary that during the 84/5 miners’ strike Thatcher expressed her view in internal discussions that riot legislation should be used at Orgreave.
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