Latest news with #Orgreave
Times
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Orgreave inquiry serves no one but Labour
In the early 1980s Arthur Scargill became president of the National Union of Mineworkers and set out to bring down the elected government through a campaign of industrial confrontation. The bulk of Britain's miners decided to back him. And Margaret Thatcher was determined to stop him. Let's have an inquiry into all of that. Last week the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced an inquiry into the so-called Battle of Orgreave that she has been advocating for more than ten years. Some people have argued this is pointless, and an odd priority for a government with so many other challenges. Well yes, but I think it is worse than that. • Orgreave inquiry into miners' strike clashes to begin in autumn On June 18, 1984, somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 pickets assembled outside the British Steel coking works in Orgreave, South Yorkshire. It was the climactic moment of the miners' strike that both Scargill and Thatcher had long been preparing for. The aim of the NUM was to stop lorries moving coke from the plant, but the pickets failed. Their challenge was met by something like 5,000 police officers and the confrontation became violent. Exactly why that happened is what the inquiry will seek to establish. There is no question that many officers were violent and overstepped professional boundaries, and that afterwards there was quite a lot of official lying, covering up and fabricating evidence. All of this is quite well known, since the prosecutions of the arrested miners collapsed due to the unreliable evidence, and a number of them received compensation in an out-of-court settlement. The Orgreave inquiry will certainly tell of scandalous behaviour and find plenty that it will wish to criticise. This does not make the inquiry a neutral investigation of the truth. It is, instead, a nakedly political exercise which will be led by someone — the Bishop of Sheffield — who has been campaigning on the issue for many years. What is taking place is an attempt to re-litigate the rights and wrongs of the miners' strike, using the evidence and grievances of only one of the parties involved. Having lost the political argument over the strike at the time, the left has sought to rewrite the history of that disastrous dispute, and Orgreave is their weapon. The idea they are advancing is that the strike was somehow thrust upon the miners against their will, a class provocation by the establishment designed to crush working-class spirit. The Orgreave inquiry will seek to portray the dispute's violence as being originated by the police, with the miners as victims. This narrative must be vigorously resisted. What happened that day wasn't the whole of the miners' strike. The so-called Battle of Orgreave wasn't even the only encounter in Orgreave. On May 29, less than three weeks before the famous battle, mass pickets threw darts and bricks at the police and dozens of people were injured. The miners' strike of 1984 was thrust on to the rest of us by the miners, not by us on to them. It was the NUM who decided to try to bring the UK economy and broader society to its knees, pursuing an economic demand that was utterly ridiculous. The insistence that we continue mining coal whatever its economic viability could not possibly be yielded to by any government. And Scargill did not even really mean it to be yielded to, since his intention was actually to depose the government. The miners gathered in large and deliberately intimidating numbers in order to use their physical presence to prevent other people from going to work. They sought to collapse the economy, destroying the livelihoods of millions of people. They made their particular target those miners who went to work, treating them as traitors in the class struggle — even though Scargill hadn't had the decency to hold a proper strike ballot. All of this was a repeated and violent act, which they intended to continue until we all agreed to do whatever they wanted. Margaret Thatcher and her government determined that this would not be allowed to happen. The police undoubtedly overstepped the mark quite seriously on occasion, but they were defending the freedom of all of us to elect our own government, decide our energy policy, keep the lights and heating on and go about our lawful business as workers and customers. If the police had lost at Orgreave and elsewhere, the losers would have been all of us, and the consequences economically and for the rule of law would have been disastrous. The great irony of the Orgreave inquiry is that it comes about through an appeal to an elected home secretary and relying on the strong sense of the rest of us that justice and the law be upheld, when in fact the strike was an assault on all these things — elected governments, law and justice. That is the actual story of the miners' strike and if Yvette Cooper really feels it is worthwhile, we can have an inquiry into all of that. Let me explain why I think this matters. Liberal democracies must have the self-confidence to defend themselves and to insist that political disputes are settled politically. The moment one group shows it can get its way by violence or threat of violence, everyone will start to do it. People must be free to protest, but using your body to prevent someone going about their lawful business cannot be accepted as a way to win an argument. Take the protests outside migrant accommodation. I have been arguing for much of the past 20 years against rapid mass migration and against the many failures of our asylum system that the disastrous migrant hotels manifest. Protest is inevitable and the reason for it obvious. However, the arrival at these protests of far-right groups and violent individuals, threatening the safety of those inside the hotels and attacking police officers, needs to be met with a vigorous response. Liberal democracies need to police their borders and prevent illegal migration, but they also cannot allow vigilante justice and physical menace to determine asylum policy. The Home Office has rightly formed an investigations unit, with police officers providing intelligence on the protests gathered from social media. Yet this was attacked by Nigel Farage as 'sinister' and by Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, as turning Britain into a 'surveillance state'. An outrageous position. This is not the moment for the home secretary to round on the police and place herself on the side of violent protest, even if that protest was more than 40 years ago. The idea she is pursuing facts to right an ancient injustice is one I completely reject. It is partial truth and sectional justice she is after, in the political interests of the Labour Party.
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Orgreave miners prioritised over grooming gang victims, Tories claim
The Government has been accused of prioritising the Orgreave miners over 'the minors who suffered horrific exploitation at the hands of grooming gangs'. Shadow policing minister Matt Vickers told the Commons that 'this Labour Government's union paymasters should not determine the pecking order of justice in this country'. His comments, which policing minister Dame Diana Johnson branded 'extremely distasteful', came after a public inquiry was announced this week into the violent confrontation at Orgreave during the miners' strike in 1984. The inquiry, expected to launch in the autumn, will investigate the events surrounding clashes at the Orgreave Coking Plant in South Yorkshire on June 18 1984, which caused 120 injuries. In total, 95 picketers were arrested and initially charged with riot and violent disorder, but all charges were later dropped after evidence was discredited. Meanwhile, last month the Government announced that there will be a full statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, after initially dismissing calls for one. Responding to the Orgreave inquiry announcement, Tory frontbencher Mr Vickers said: 'I note from the Government's publication that the inquiry will be statutory, with powers to compel individuals to provide information where necessary. 'This sounds remarkably similar to a request we've made to the Government, one which was repeatedly rejected. 'The victims and survivors of rape gangs deserve detailed updates on the progress of that inquiry, yet the lack of information about how this new inquiry will be set up and how it will compel evidence leads me to conclude that the Government has prioritised the miners over the minors who suffered horrific exploitation at the hands of rape gangs. 'This Labour Government's union paymasters should not determine the pecking order of justice in this country. 'There are still perpetrators of child sexual exploitation and those who have covered it up who have gone unpunished. 'And yet this Government has chosen to prioritise this inquiry.' Mr Vickers also claimed there are 'serious questions' about whether the chairman of the inquiry – the Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcock, the Bishop of Sheffield – will be able to 'act in a politically neutral and independent manner'. He asked: 'Can the minister assure the House that the inquiry will not be political in nature and that it will listen to the views of all parties present on the day, so that this is not merely an example of the Government putting the interests of the unions ahead of the police?' Responding, Dame Diana said she was 'surprised' by these remarks because 'I know the shadow minister is a good man'. But she added: 'I must say to him that I found his comments extremely distasteful and also not accurate or correct.' Dame Diana told MPs: 'Our manifesto commitment was to ensure that there was a thorough investigation or inquiry, that the truth about the events at Orgreave came to light, and that is what we are doing today.' She added: 'He will know that there has been a great deal of work to make sure that the hideous, appalling situations that have been uncovered around the grooming gangs are now going to be dealt with. 'The safeguarding minister has given statements to the House. The Home Secretary has given statements to the House. 'There has been a clear list of the action that is being taken, and it seems to me that that work is absolutely right. 'And of course, under the previous government, when the independent child abuse inquiry was set up, there was support across the House for that work of Professor Alexis Jay. 'It's just a great pity that the previous government did not actually enact any of the recommendations that Professor Alexis Jay came forward. 'And I think that is a hugely shameful state of affairs that this Government then inherited. 'But I'm absolutely clear that this Government is dealing with grooming gangs and that that is absolutely the right thing to do but, equally, it's absolutely the right thing to do to set the Orgreave inquiry up today.' Addressing the issue of the chairman of the inquiry, the minister said: 'I was really disappointed again with the remarks about the bishop. 'I think Bishop Pete has previously supported calls for an inquiry and I think it's important to note that that was in the context of his pastoral role in supporting members of the Diocese of Sheffield, who were impacted by the events at Orgreave. 'And he certainly didn't show any favour for either the police or the picketers when calling for that inquiry. 'And I don't think that that call detracts from the necessary credibility, the impartiality and independence that I believe that he will bring to this role as the chair of the inquiry, and I know that he has the backing and the support of the key stakeholders for taking forward that role.' Dame Diana said she wanted the inquiry to be done 'as quickly as possible, but as thoroughly as possible', adding that a time frame of two years was indicated in early discussions. This came in response to Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North), who asked for an 'idea of roughly how long she expects the inquiry to report'. The minister added that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has written to all police forces, the National Police Chiefs' Council, the College of Policing and all Government departments to ask that all material they hold relating to the events of Orgreave be retained. DUP MP Jim Shannon raised concerns about the 'retraumatisation' that elderly retired police officers will 'undoubtedly suffer' when asked to recall details of that day in 1984. Dame Diana said the Bishop of Sheffield will look into what support needs to be in place to help witnesses, whether they be from the police, picketers or their families.
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on the Orgreave inquiry: scrutiny of South Yorkshire police's actions is long overdue
Sunday's announcement that there will be an inquiry into the shocking violence used against striking miners by police at Orgreave in 1984, and the subsequent fabrication of police evidence, is a vindication of the long campaign fought by trade unionists and activists. That 'there were no deaths' was one of the justifications given by Theresa May's government for the decision not to order an inquiry in 2016. But the brutal treatment of miners picketing the South Yorkshire coking plant and the criminal case brought against them a year later for rioting have cast deep shadows. The inquiry, chaired by Pete Wilcox, the bishop of Sheffield, will aim to bring long-hidden truths about the policing of the strike into the light. Placing these facts in the public domain matters to those affected, some of whom faced the prospect of lengthy prison sentences until police statements and evidence in court were discredited, with paragraphs shown to have been dictated by detectives. But the inquiry has wider significance. Policing by consent, by definition, rests on trust, not brute force. To be worthy of public confidence, forces must be willing to learn, and be held accountable for wrongdoing. The fact that the same police force, South Yorkshire, bore responsibility for the disastrous loss of life at Hillsborough stadium, five years after Orgreave, underscores that need. If the force and its chief constable, Peter Wright, had been properly challenged after the miners' trial collapsed, might the catastrophe in Sheffield, or at least the alleged cover-up afterwards, have been avoided? In a Guardian article in 2012, David Conn highlighted striking similarities between the two episodes, and linked the victim-blaming that followed the Hillsborough disaster with the portrayal of striking miners as a vicious 'enemy within'. This inquiry is a victory for journalists and film-makers as well the campaign itself. The inquiry's format, modelled on the Hillsborough Independent Panel, marks a bold break with the most familiar one for government-ordered inquiries – which are usually headed by a judge. The Orgreave panel will have the power to summon witnesses. But it may opt to focus mainly on documentary evidence, mostly records held by police forces, rather than conducting lengthy oral sessions. Given how much time has already passed – the 40th anniversary of the collapsed trial is this month – the hope must be that work proceeds swiftly once the panel's membership is agreed. Inquiries are not perfect. They can take too long and cost participants a colossal effort. While they make recommendations, it is politicians who decide whether or not to take these up, and police and prosecutors who determine whether criminal charges follow. But when whole institutions are recognised to have gravely, systematically failed people – as happens tragically often – an inquiry provides a vital public forum for the first stage of redress: digging out the truth. The miners of Orgreave have waited too long for this moment. It should not have taken decades for a home secretary to agree to a formal process, particularly given all that is known about Hillsborough, and given that the force settled a civil claim by paying 39 miners £425,000 in 1991. But belated scrutiny of the actions, culture and leadership of South Yorkshire police in the relevant period is infinitely preferable to none at all. The announcement is a win for all of civil society, as well as a determined group of campaigners.
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Tuesday briefing: Uncovering the truth behind the bloodshed at Orgreave, four decades on
Good morning. In 1999, the investigative journalist David Conn sat down at home one evening to watch a documentary by the film-maker Yvette Vanson called The Battle for Orgreave, which told the story of the violent policing in 1984 of coalminers at the Orgreave coking plant in Rotherham, South Yorkshire during the miner's strike. A pivotal moment in the year-long strike by the mining unions, opposed by the Thatcher government, what happened on that day at Orgreave is also remembered as one of the most brutal clashes in British industrial history. The violence and bloodshed perpetrated by police at Orgreave was already infamous, but it wasn't until David watched Vanson's film that he learned that 95 miners were arrested that day and then put on trial the following year on charges of riot and unlawful assembly. The trial collapsed after the police evidence was discredited. The film was the start of a 25-year reporting journey for David to investigate the injustice at Orgreave. His initial reporting into the scandal in 2012, which made links between the conduct of South Yorkshire police at Orgreave and its policing of the Hillsborough disaster five years later, has this week culminated in the government announcing a statutory inquiry in an attempt to get to the truth of what happened at Orgreave more than four decades ago. For today's newsletter, I talked to David Conn, now the Guardian's investigations correspondent, about his reporting on the Orgreave scandal and the long road towards establishing the inquiry. Middle East | Israel has launched an air and ground offensive in Gaza, targeting Deir al-Balah, the key hub for humanitarian efforts, and the last part of the Palestinian territory not extensively damaged by war. Utilities | The water industry regulator Ofwat will be abolished after a major review of the sector, which has been hit by scandals over sewage contamination and financial mismanagement. US politics | Harvard University was in court on Monday to argue that the Trump administration illegally cut $2.6bn of its funding. National Archives | The US was warned that invading Iraq without a second UN security council resolution could cost Tony Blair his premiership. Blair's foreign policy adviser, David Manning, said 'the US must not promote regime change in Baghdad at the price of regime change in London'. Reform | Nigel Farage has pledged to spend £17bn in order to halve crime in the UK if his party is elected. He claimed that the cost would be met by scrapping Britain's net zero pledge and HS2. On a hot, cloudless summer morning on 18 June 1984, at the height of the bitter miner's strike, 8,000 miners gathered to picket a coke works in Orgreave. Within hours, the day descended into chaos as the miners faced a force of 6,000 police officers. Police on horseback repeatedly charged the crowd, police bludgeoned picketers and 'snatch squads' were dispatched to arrest over 95 people, who were then charged with rioting. The incident has become widely known as the 'battle of Orgreave', and was even re-enacted in a famous performance work by the artist Jeremy Deller. But David Conn finds the term inappropriate. 'It suggests two equal sides engaged in conflict. This was, in reality, a scene of shocking police violence with officers riding horses into a crowd of men wearing jeans and T-shirts and then beating unarmed people with police truncheons,' he said. 'The miners went there as part of an industrial dispute and some did throw stones, but the extent of misbehaviour was greatly exaggerated and they were met with a state force that was equipped and ready to inflict violence.' How this story of a injustice came to be told Fifteen years later, when David sat down to watch Vanson's documentary, he was shocked by the images of unarmed men being set upon by police, but it was what happened at the trial that was more disturbing. 'I had no idea it had even happened,' he said. 'Yet it was clearly a huge injustice, dubbed an alleged 'frame-up' by South Yorkshire police.' All 95 men were acquitted after their defence team argued that the police's own footage at Orgreave contradicted the testimony from officers that had been the backbone of the case against those standing trial, all of whom would have faced heavy prison sentences if convicted. 'Some of the miners who were acquitted that day said that they expected to be greeted by banks of TV cameras and reporters when they walked out of court because of the discrediting of the police case . But the world had moved on,' said David. 'Their stories just did not become part of the public narrative about what happened at Orgreave.' *** What is the connection between Orgreave and Hillsborough? David immediately saw a link between the forgotten trial and the conduct of the South Yorkshire police at Hillsborough. 'I was already reporting on the false narrative that the South Yorkshire police had constructed seeking to blame Liverpool supporters for the disaster but which was due to their complete mismanagement of the football match,' he said. 'So watching that film was a jaw-dropping moment because [I realised] it was the same police force accused of fabricating evidence and lying.' During his later reporting on Orgreave, David found a document that showed the chief constable of South Yorkshire police, Peter Wright, had been invited to in March 1985 for drinks at the Home Office to celebrate the great work he and his officers had done policing the miner's strike. 'So not only were they not held to account for violence that everyone had seen on television or the fact that, later, the trial had collapsed, but they were congratulated for their fine policing,' he said. 'And it appeared to be the same culture, led by the same chief constable, supported and celebrated by the government, that was in place during the disaster at Hillsborough, and the same lack of accountability was allowed to shift responsibility and falsely blame the victims – another huge injustice – for decades.' Back in 1999, with the Hillsborough injustice still enduring and scant public awareness of the Orgreave trial, as a young freelance journalist David found it difficult to secure commissions to report on these scandals but stuck with the stories for decades as he became established at the Guardian. It wasn't until 2012, when his reporting on the Hillsborough disaster and alleged police cover-up had helped establish the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report (HIP), that he was able to publish his first piece making the connection between the two scandals. The HIP's 2012 report became a landmark, leading to a second Hillsborough inquest, whose jury in 2016 found that no behaviour of Liverpool supporters was to blame for the disaster and that the 96, now 97, people who died were unlawfully killed due to gross negligence manslaughter by the police. Why did it take so long for an inquiry to be set up? David's 2012 article, pointing to the link between the two 1980s South Yorkshire policing scandals, prompted a BBC Yorkshire documentary about Orgreave, broadcast the same year, which highlighted that dozens of police officers' statements alleging criminal behaviour by miners had the same opening paragraphs apparently dictated to them by detectives. Shortly after, activists and veterans of the strike set up the Orgreave Truth and Justice campaign, which has since fought for justice for the victims and accountability for the violent policing that they were subjected to and the discredited evidence advanced to try to convict innocent miners of serious crimes. By 2015, Yvette Cooper was calling for an inquiry, which Labour included in its 2017 manifesto. The government made it a priority to establish the inquiry after they came to power last summer. What happens now? The inquiry will comprise a panel of experts, chaired by Pete Wilcox, the bishop of Sheffield, modelled on HIP. Yet, unlike that panel, the Orgreave inquiry will be statutory, giving it the power to compel people to provide information. Wilcox, who is developing the framework of the inquiry with the Home Office, said he expects it to begin work in the autumn. Eventually, it is likely to produce a report that will aim to illuminate the full truth of the police operation and, campaigners hope, redress the historic 'enemy within' portrayal of the miners involved in industrial action in the 1980s perpetrated by the Thatcher government and large sections of the media at the time. It may also shine light on the culture of South Yorkshire police that was still in place in 1989, when the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough would descend into horror. Although no police officer has ever been held to account for the false evidence that was used to charge 95 men, David said it could be unlikely that anybody could be prosecuted, although it has not been ruled out. Is this a victory for the Orgreave campaigners? The launch of the inquiry into the Orgreave scandal is 'a hugely positive outcome', said David. 'It's a positive result for the families and the campaigners and it does show that our journalism can make a concrete difference.' Reporting on Orgreave has been long and time-consuming. 'I've interviewed some of the miners who stood trial after being falsely accused and a lot of them were young guys at the time, with young families and they talked about just how terrifying it had been coming up against the system,' he said. 'They'd been through the strikes, they'd lost so much – their industry, their jobs – they'd faced violence at the hands of the police, and then they were terrified they'd spend years in prison.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion One man called Arthur Critchlow (pictured above), who David first saw breaking down in tears while being interviewed in Yvette Vanson's documentary, who had suffered a fractured skull from a police truncheon, had said this week that the injustice was a trauma that he carried around with him every day for decades. 'And so seeing Arthur Critchlow, with Yvette Cooper in Orgreave this week, talking about what happened and the need for justice is a very emotional moment for me as well, if I'm honest.' Yet for David, this week has been bittersweet: 'It has been 40 years that this injustice has been allowed to stand.' In recent years, the tiny nation of Qatar (population: fewer than 3 million) has acquired an outsized influence, not only due to its immense wealth but its new role as global conflict mediator. Nesrine Malik teases out the story of how and why this happened in a meticulously reported long read. Alex Needham, acting head of newsletters Louise Lancaster, the jailed Just Stop Oil campaigner, is moving and eloquent about her time behind bars in this prison diary. Annie In 2017, Bijan Ghaisar was involved in a minor traffic accident near his home a few miles from Washington DC. Police ended up shooting the unarmed 25-year-old dead. Annie Kelly talks to his mother, Kelly, who was denied justice and can only conclude that the authorities 'wanted us to suffer'. Alex The plight of school staff caught in the minefield of school culture wars is laid out in this anonymous op-ed by a teacher. Annie What do 90s icons do when they want to feel like teenagers again? Go to see the re-formed Oasis, of course. 'I danced my little bottom off,' declares Anna Friel in an interview by Zoe Williams. Alex Football | Liverpool are to take their summer spending to almost £300m after agreeing to pay £69m plus £10m in add-ons for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike. The 23-year-old Frenchman emerged as the Premier League champions' favoured No 9 after they received no encouragement regarding their interest in Newcastle's Alexander Isak. Tennis | A proposed expansion of the Wimbledon tennis site will go ahead after the high court ruled in favour of an original decision to allow a further 39 courts, including an 8,000-seat show court, on the grounds of the old Wimbledon Park golf club. Rugby union | Andy Farrell has named his son Owen as captain of the British & Irish Lions for the squad's final midweek fixture against a First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday. Farrell will lead a side containing eight players who were not originally selected for the tour as the management seek to keep most of their first-choice 23 fresh for Saturday's second Test against the Wallabies. The Guardian's splash is 'Israel launches offensive on Gaza aid hub amid fears over starvation' while the Mirror headlines on 'End this horror now' under the strapline 'UK condemns aid attacks'. 'Britain to be charged by Brussels for sales won via €150bn weapons fund' – that's the Financial Times on another Brexit consequence. An FT-style headline in the i paper: 'Rise in state pension age beyond 68 is 'inevitable', warns Farage – as future of triple lock in doubt'. A more familiar-sounding Reform leader in the Daily Mail – 'Britain is facing societal collapse, warns Farage' – and the Express: 'Farage: three strikes and it's life in jail'. The Telegraph has 'Rayner demands tax on tourists' while the Times runs with 'Patients at risk during walkouts, warns BMA'. 'Come on England' – the Metro supports England's women as they meet Italy at the Euro. What's holding up a ceasefire in Gaza? How are controversial plans for a 'humanitarian city' in Gaza complicating a deal to stop the fighting? Emma Graham-Harrison reports A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad Andy Kalli (pictured above) once lived a double life, earning money during the day and spending it on crack cocaine at night. He first took cocaine at a pub in his late 20s after a business deal went wrong. 'Once I took that line, in my brain, I was 10ft tall. I started doing a bit more. I started going to casinos to make up the £50k I lost. I ended up blowing £100k in a week,' he says. The years ticked on but it became harder to hide his addiction after his daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Kalli missed hospital appointments during her final year of life due to his addiction. Six months after her death, in 2014, he visited a hospital in the West Midlands and asked for help. Kalli has been clean ever since, and he trained as an addictions counsellor. Three years ago, at 61, he graduated with a first degree in psychology focusing on substance misuse. Now he works at the Perry Clayman Project in Luton, Bedfordshire, and says he advises rehab clients not to apologise. 'Your families have heard it a thousand times. It's by making change that you'll be making amends.' Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
Telegraph
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Re-enacting the Battle of Orgreave is pointless
Oh dear, an inquiry into Orgreave. The name refers to the Yorkshire coking depot where, in June 1984, Arthur Scargill's violent flying pickets failed to prevent delivery lorries leaving the plant with coke to fire the Scunthorpe steel furnaces. It was a turning point in the miners' strike. Scargill's mass picketing of the Saltley coke depot in 1972 had closed the plant, humiliating the Conservative government of Edward Heath. His defeat at Orgreave ensured that history did not repeat itself. The police came out on top. Fuel supplies never failed. Margaret Thatcher's government eventually won. After nearly eight more bitter months, the strike collapsed. Scargill had lost. Ever since, the Left has been obsessed with Orgreave, alleging police brutality and mendacity, and repeatedly called for an inquiry. Some hope to find documents implicating Mrs Thatcher, such as they alleged existed, but did not exist, in the case of the Hillsborough disaster. At Hillsborough, as at Orgreave, the South Yorkshire police were the objects of their anger. It is true that court cases against the pickets collapsed because the police evidence against them was discredited. The fact of that collapse, however, would suggest that justice was done. If police misconduct was not sufficiently arraigned, there is what is now called the Independent Office for Police Conduct to handle this. Why an inquiry, 40 years on? For some strange reason, Theresa May, after becoming prime minister in July 2016, briefed (indirectly) that there would be an Orgreave inquiry. Perhaps her poor relations with the police, when she was home secretary, had something do with it. Anyway, two months after making this suggestion, she wisely dropped it. But the Left kept on complaining and, in Labour's general election manifesto last year, the following promise was made: 'Labour will also ensure, through an investigation or inquiry, that the truth about the events at Orgreave comes to light.' The clear implication of that sentence is that the truth has, until now, been concealed. Labour's version of the truth is that the police, covertly directed by the evil Thatcher, behaved appallingly. Given this highly political background, it will be hard for any inquiry to look at the matter dispassionately. In terms of presentation, the Government seems to be hoping that this is a repeat of the Hillsborough Inquiry. The Hillsborough report, produced by James Jones, the former Bishop of Liverpool, was entitled The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power. It was widely admired for its account of what the families had been through. So the Orgreave report is also to be chaired by a bishop, the Right Reverend Dr Pete Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield. Episcopal purple is supposed to ward off accusations of political bias, but Bishop Wilcox will be under enormous pressure. He says he looks forward to 'engaging with stakeholders', but I wonder who will qualify for that description. Since the energy supplies of the entire country depended on Scargill's pickets failing wherever they tried to attack, all of us alive at that time are stakeholders. More directly, so were the steelworks, so was the government, so were the police, who had to enforce the law, and so were those miners, more than a quarter of the total workforce at the time of Orgreave, who went on working. They did not agree with the strike and resented Scargill denying his members a ballot on it. Many were victims of NUM violence. The announcement of the inquiry goes against the Government's own current work of looking to see whether inquiries are worthwhile. There are so many nowadays, few leading to recommendations that get implemented, but still costing literally hundreds of millions of pounds. Sir Keir Starmer privately acknowledges that they should be cut back. For an inquiry to begin, the Government now wants to require evidence of 'a clear present public benefit'. It does not want inquiries to be merely public therapy sessions. It wants them only if they can address an issue that needs addressing now. How can anyone say that this intensely political issue of more than 40 years ago fits that criterion? Politeness on all sides Guess what happened in our village last Saturday? Sir Keir and Lady Starmer came. The occasion was the lovely wedding in our parish church of the daughter of a long-standing legal colleague. And guess what happened? Nothing. I think this uneventfulness should be celebrated. First, it was a tribute to the security people, who were very low-key and courteous. Second, it reflected well on the parents of the bride, who had kept the information close. Third, it reflected well on those villagers who did know who was present but did not choose to vent any of their mainly unfriendly current feelings towards the Prime Minister. Finally, the Starmers behaved well, and everyone liked them for it. My wife and I were close witnesses as they sat in the pew behind us, and we can attest that they were unassuming, friendly and demanded no place of honour. They stayed for a flatteringly long time at the reception and seemed to be quietly enjoying themselves. Perhaps none of this needs saying, but I mention it because the age of social media tends to erode the concept of privacy which is so important in civilisation. This was, in all respects, a civilised occasion. Vice-president J D Vance is reported to be heading for a short holiday in the Cotswolds next month. I hope the Vance family will be treated with similar politeness.
