Bishop who criticised Tories to lead Orgreave inquiry
Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, confirmed that the inquiry would look at events surrounding the clashes between police and miners at the Orgreave coking plant in South Yorkshire in June 1984, when Margaret Thatcher was in power.
She announced it would be chaired by Dr Pete Wilcox, the Bishop of Sheffield.
Five years ago, Dr Wilcox criticised Boris Johnson on social media after his adviser Dominic Cummings was accused of breaking Covid rules with a trip to Barnard Castle. He also put his name to an open letter urging against a no-deal Brexit in 2019.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary, said: 'A hand-picked selection of Lefties will inevitably produce a biased report. Taxpayers' money will be used for the propaganda purposes of the Labour movement.
'This is a bung to the Left, which will no doubt attack the police who bravely did their job and stood up against mob violence.'
In his Twitter post in May 2020, Dr Wilcox wrote:
I don't usually tweet politics, and I have carefully steered clear during the pandemic. But tonight I must say: the PM & his cabinet are undermining the trust of the electorate and the risks to life are real.
— Pete Wilcox (@PeteWilcox1564) May 24, 2020
The no-deal Brexit letter said: 'Seeing the evidence of division in every part of England, we are deeply concerned about political polarisation and language that appears to sanction hate crime.
The reframing of the language of political discourse is urgent, especially given the abuse and threats levelled at MPs doing their job.'
The inquiry, expected to launch in the autumn, will investigate the events surrounding Orgreave clashes, which resulted in 120 injuries.
A total of 95 picketers were arrested and initially charged with rioting and violent disorder, but all charges were later dropped after police evidence was discredited.
The inquiry will be statutory, with the appropriate powers to compel people to provide information where necessary.
Dr Wilcox said: 'I am extremely grateful to the Home Secretary for the opportunity to chair this inquiry and for the support I shall be given in doing so. I do not underestimate the weight of expectation or the significance of the task.
'I look forward to engaging with stakeholders in the coming weeks over the draft terms of reference, and to working with the government to identify experts to support me on the independent panel.
'I expect the panel to begin its work in the autumn, and we will endeavour to deliver an inquiry which is thorough and fair, and which will uncover what happened at Orgreave as swiftly as possible.'
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