Get Councils to Support the Campaign
Encourage your Council to Support an Orgreave Inquiry
The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign would like you to ask your Council to pass a resolution / motion to support the Campaign and contact the Home Secretary to ask them to order a Public Inquiry into the events at Orgreave on June 18th 1984.
We have received magnificent support from a number of Councils throughout the country and are hoping that we can get much more support to help us succeed with our request for an Inquiry. We have also received a lot of support from many Labour Party, Trade Union colleagues and branches and political and social justice organisations throughout Britain showing that this is an issue affecting the whole of Britain.
Please see the list of councils already on board below our model resolution.
Model Council Resolution
We have included a model resolution below but please use your own resolution if you think that is more appropriate. If you require an Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign speaker or more information please do not hesitate to contact us at: Orgreavejustice@hotmail.com
You can easily find your local councillor’s information and contact details here – https://www.writetothem.com
The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign advises anyone contacting the Home Secretary to email them at: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
Or write to them:
The Home Secretary
House of Commons
London, SW1A 0AA
Or:
The Home Secretary
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London, SW1P 4DF
Email: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
Web: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office
Twitter:
Draft Model Council Resolution here:
This Council is concerned and disappointed by the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd’s rejection on the 31st October, 2016 of an inquiry into the policing of events at Orgreave. This Council notes, since this decision was taken, a considerable number of Conservative Home Secretaries have been in office.
This Council congratulates the Scottish Parliament who in 2018 ordered an independent review to investigate and report on the impact of policing on affected communities in Scotland during the period of the miners’ strike from March 1984 – March 1985. As a consequence of this review the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Act 2022 came into force on 27th July 2022.
This Council is pleased that in 2018 the Bishop of Sheffield wrote to then Home Secretary Sajid Javid, proposing that an Orgreave independent panel be established. This proposal was disappointingly rejected and both Sajid Javid and more recently Home Secretary, Priti Patel have refused to meet with the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign to discuss a way forward.
This Council is also pleased about the decision of the Welsh Assembly in 2018 to write to the then Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, to ask for an independent review into policing in England and Wales during the miners’ strike, and to also write again in 2018 asking that the Home Secretary orders an inquiry specifically into the policing at Orgreave on 18th June 1984.
This Council praises the many Members of Parliament who have tried to use various parliamentary procedures to encourage the Conservative government to hold an Orgreave inquiry.
This Council also praises the many other Councils who have passed resolutions and contacted the Home Secretary to set up an Orgreave inquiry.
This Council asks, in the light of such actions from the Scottish and Welsh governments, the Bishop of Sheffield, Members of Parliament and Councils, what the current Home Secretary will do as a consequence, to take these into account and express their views, on an inquiry into the events at the Orgreave coking plant on 18th June 1984.
This Council notes that 95 miners were arrested and charged with offences, but were all later acquitted amid claims that police at the time had fabricated evidence.
This Council observes that the Independent Police Complaints Commission said about Orgreave on 18th June 1984 in their report released in June 2015 “that there was evidence of excessive violence by police officers, and a false narrative from police exaggerating violence by miners, perjury by officers giving evidence to prosecute the arrested men, and an apparent cover-up of that perjury by senior officers”.
This Council is of the view that the Home Secretary needs to acknowledge the action of the Scottish government, the call from the Welsh government, the Bishop of Sheffield, many MPs and Councils and confirm their response.
This Council will write to the Home Secretary and ask that they acknowledge the actions of the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, the Bishop of Sheffield, many MPs and Councils and explains what action they have taken in response and take into account the opinion of this Council and accepts that there is widespread public concern about events and policing throughout the miners’ strike and calls for the Home Secretary to order an Orgreave inquiry.
Examples of Council support here:
Barnsley Council
Media
http://www.barnsleychronicle.com/article/councillor-to-fight-for-orgreave-inquiry
Sheffield Council
http://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=8711
http://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=10924
http://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=13782
Media
Doncaster Council
http://doncaster.moderngov.co.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=3640
Media
Wakefield Council
http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/Pages/News/PR5005.aspx
Bradford Council
https://bradford.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=583
Media
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/14808764.amp
Rotherham Council
https://rotherham.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/275557
http://moderngov.rotherham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=491&MID=13829
Media
North East Derbyshire District Council
https://otjc.org.uk/north-east-derbyshire-motion-passed/
Media
http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2017-01-02/council-to-call-for-orgreave-public-inquiry-derbyshire/
Derby City Council
Please view the link below of Derby City Council full council meeting , with a motion on the agenda deploring Amber rudd’s decision not to hold any type of inquiry into the events at the Orgreave Coking Plant, edge of Sheffield and Rotherham 18/6/84 when 95 miners were arrested and falsely charges with riot and unlawful assembly. the debate starts approx 38 minutes into the meeting with the motion proposed by Labour councillor Paul Bayliss and seconded by Labour Councillor Anderson. the motion was passed unanimously along with strong vocal support from the public gallery from an ex miner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dsaFV2Vyxk
Durham Council
https://democracy.durham.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=23780
Media
Bolsover Council
Letter to Amber Rudd from Bolsover Council
West Lancashire Council
We done it, we got the motion passed.
Claire moved the motion and I do believe we are the first Labour group in Lancashire and maybe this side of the Pennines to push the Orgreave Truth And Justice Campaign.
We had a double result as the Tories walked out on mass on the previous Motion. They showed their true colours.
Appalling behaviour by the Conservative Group at West Lancs Borough Council A staged walk out refusing to engage with motions on the low pay of public sector workers, the impact of taxation on small businesses, Justice for Orgreave miners, WASPI women and a Minister for Older people. Obviously nothing of importance to the Conservative Group. They don’t want to debate and don’t feel they have to represent their constituents. Very poor.
This Guys should give us maximum exposure in the press. A result.
Leeds City Council
An extract from a recent council meeting is included below:
COUNCILLOR S McKENNA: Pleasure to ask this. Please can the Leader of Council confirm if she supports the Orgreave Truth and Justice campaign?
THE LORD MAYOR: Councillor Blake.
COUNCILLOR BLAKE: Thank you, Lord Mayor. Councillor McKenna. Yes, I can confirm that I support the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign. All colleagues will be aware that many people from Leeds supported the Miners’ Strike back in the early 1980s, not least those who lived in former mining communities in this city but also those who were on the picket line at Orgreave Coking Plant on 18th June in 1984. Many Members of this Council at the time worked tirelessly to support the families involved in the strike at that particular time.
At the end of October last year the Home Secretary ruled out an inquiry into the events of that dreadful day. To say that this is a disappointment to those former mining communities and all those who support the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign is an understatement.
Can I remind everyone in Council, the campaign is strictly non-political and welcomes support from all those with genuine concern, particularly around the deception and covering up of events that happened at Orgreave that day. I think all of us only have to look at the footage of the events of that day to know something was very, very seriously wrong.
95 miners who took part in a peaceful picket were arrested and charged with riot offences – later all acquitted among claims that the police had fabricated evidence. There were also claims that police attacked the peaceful protestors. Miners suffered this just for exercising their right to protest against the threat to their jobs, their industry and their communities.
The redacted report of the Independent Police Complaints Commission released in June 2015 found evidence of excessive violence by police officers, a false narrative from police exaggerating violence by miners, perjury by officers giving evidence to prosecute the arrested men and an apparent cover up of that perjury by senior officers.
In the light of these statements it is very surprising indeed that the Home Secretary does not think there are any lessons to be learned from any review of these events and in such close proximity to the inquiry and Inquest into Hillsborough, this is very surprising indeed.
Let us think about those miners, their wives and their families who suffered so much at the time and all that has been left of their reputation as the years have gone by.
I would like very much to ask all the other Groups on this Council to join with me to sign a letter that I will be writing to the Prime Minister in support of the campaign to call for a change of approach from the Government towards the scandalous decision not to order an inquiry. Thank you. (Applause)
THE LORD MAYOR: Councillor McKenna, have you got a supplementary?
COUNCILLOR S McKENNA: I would like to applaud the Leader for her comments there and I would come in and add that it would be nice if we had full party support on this. Thank you.”
The full transcript of the meeting is available at the link below (the information about OTJC is included on pages 45 and 46).
http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/b18089/Verbatim%2029th-Mar-2017%2013.00%20Council.pdf?T=9
Chesterfield Borough Council
The minutes can be accessed here http://chesterfield.moderngov.co.uk/documents/g4819/Printed%20minutes%2013th-Dec-2017%2017.00%20Council.pdf?T=1 at Paragraph 67
Salford Council
Notice of Motion – Policing of Events at Orgreave To be moved by Councillor John Warmisham and seconded by Councillor David Lancaster. In October 2016 the Home Secretary’s rejected calls for an inquiry into the policing of events at the Orgreave Coking Plant, South Yorkshire on 18th June 1984 during the UK Miners Strike of 1984/85, Following this, at their meeting held on 18th October 2017, West Lancashire Borough Council, agreed a resolution expressing concerns at the decision of the Home Secretary and asking her to reconsider it.
This Council is asked to support the actions taken by West Lancashire Borough Council, by joining with them and; (i) Expressing disappointment at the Home Secretary’s decision.
(ii) Observing that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) in their redacted report released in June 2015 said, “There was evidence of excessive violence by police officers, and a false narrative from
3
police exaggerating violence by miners, perjury by officers giving evidence to prosecute the arrested men, and an apparent cover-up of that perjury by senior officers.”
(iii) Noting that 95 miners were arrested and charged with riot offences, but were all later acquitted amid claims that police at the time had fabricated evidence. (iv) Agreeing in the light of such statements, the Home Secretary needs to review her decision that, there should be no inquiry into such events. (v) Requesting that, the City Mayor and the local MPs, namely Barbara Keeley, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Graham Stringer, all write to the Home Secretary and asks that she takes into account the opinion of this Council and accepts there is widespread public concern about events at Orgreave and calls for her to reverse her original decision and to now order an inquiry into them.
Sunderland Council
Wirral Council
Motion – Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign
Minutes:
Proposed by Councillor Christine Spriggs
Seconded by Councillor Brian KennyThis Council is concerned and disappointed by the Home Secretary’s rejection on the 31st October, 2016 of an Inquiry into the policing of events at Orgreave.
This Council observes that the Independent Police Commission said in their redacted report released in June 2015 “that there was evidence of excessive violence by police officers, and a false narrative from police exaggerating violence by miners, perjury by officers giving evidence to prosecute the arrested men, and an apparent cover-up of that perjury by senior officers”.
This Council believes in the light of such statements that the Home Secretary needs to review her decision and ensure that there is a full public inquiry into the events at the Orgreave coking plant on 18th June 1984.
This Council notes that 95 miners were arrested and charged with offences, but were all later acquitted amid claims that police at the time had fabricated evidence.
Council agrees to write to the Home Secretary and ask that she takes into account the opinion of this Council and accepts that there is widespread public concern about events at Orgreave and calls for her to order a public inquiry into them.
Having applied the guillotine in accordance with minute 99 ante, the Council did not debate this matter.
Prior to the motion being put to the vote, Councillor Blakeley and five Conservative Members rose to request a ‘card vote’.
A ‘card vote’ was then taken and the Council divided as follows:
For the motion (53) Councillors R Abbey, T Anderson, B Berry, C Blakeley A Brighouse, P Brightmore, D Burgess-Joyce, C Carubia, P Cleary, A Davies, G Davies, P Davies, P Doughty, D Elderton, G Ellis, S Foulkes, P Gilchrist, J Green, P Hackett, P Hayes, A Hodson, AER Jones, C Jones, S Kelly, B Kenny, A Leech, I Lewis, M McLaughlin, J McManus, C Meaden, B Mooney, C Muspratt, T Norbury, C Povall, D Realey, L Reecejones, L Rennie, L Rowlands, PA Smith, C Spriggs, J Stapleton, P Stuart, M Sullivan, A Sykes, T Usher, J Walsh, W Ward, G Watt, S Whittingham, I Williams, KJ Williams, J Williamson and G Wood.
Against the motion (0)
One abstention – Councillor A McLachlan (Civic Mayor)
St Helen’s Council
The motion was tabled by Lauren Cassidy, seconded by Geoff Zygadllo and had a number of Labour Councillors speak in support.
On Wednesday 21st July 2021 Cllr Nick Clarke moved a motion at Bolsover District Council Full Council Meeting calling for a Public Inquiry into events at Orgreave. The motion was overwhelmingly supported. More information on Facebook here:
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