The Establishment of a Public Inquiry into the Orgreave Confrontation
A significant step has been taken towards uncovering the truth behind one of the most contentious events in British history. The government has announced that a public inquiry will be established this year to investigate the violent confrontation at Orgreave during the 1984 miners’ strike. This inquiry is expected to launch in the autumn and will focus on the events surrounding the clashes at the Orgreave Coking Plant in South Yorkshire on June 18, 1984, which resulted in 120 injuries.
During the incident, 95 picketers were arrested and initially charged with riot and violent disorder. However, all charges were later dropped after evidence was discredited. The inquiry will have statutory powers to compel individuals to provide information when necessary, as stated by the Home Office.
The Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox, the Bishop of Sheffield, has agreed to chair the inquiry. The Home Office emphasized that the purpose of the inquiry is to aid the public’s understanding of how the events on the day and immediately after came to pass. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper acknowledged the lasting impact of what happened at Orgreave, stating that it cast a shadow over communities in Yorkshire and other mining areas.
Cooper highlighted that the violent scenes and subsequent prosecutions raised concerns that have remained unanswered for decades. She expressed her appreciation for the campaigners who have tirelessly pursued truth and justice. “I look forward to continuing to work with them as we build an inquiry that gets the answers they and their communities deserve,” she added.
Formal consultation between the Home Secretary and the Rt Revd Wilcox on the inquiry’s terms of reference has already begun. The Bishop acknowledged the weight of expectation and the significance of the task ahead. He outlined his plans to engage with stakeholders in the coming weeks over the draft terms of reference and to work with the government to identify experts for the independent panel. “We will endeavour to deliver an inquiry which is thorough and fair, and which will uncover what happened at Orgreave as swiftly as possible,” he said.
The Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign (OTJC) has expressed its desire to understand who was responsible for organizing and ordering the deployment of multiple police forces, including mounted police armed with truncheons, shields, and dogs, against striking miners. The campaign group also wants to know how it was decided that striking miners should be attacked and arrested at Orgreave and charged with riot and unlawful assembly, which carried heavy prison sentences. Additionally, they are seeking clarity on why the police operational order for deployments that day disappeared and other evidence was destroyed or embargoed until 2066 and 2071.
OTJC secretary, Kate Flannery, welcomed the announcement of the inquiry as “really positive news.” She stressed the need for the inquiry to have the necessary powers to fully investigate all aspects of the orchestrated policing at Orgreave and to have unrestricted access to all relevant information, including government, police, and media documents, photos, and films.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) general secretary, Chris Kitchen, described the inquiry as “hugely welcome.” He noted that the events at Orgreave, and throughout the strike, destroyed the trust between the police and mining communities even now, 41 years later. “It is vital that this trust is won back, and the NUM believe this inquiry will go some way to rebuilding that trust,” he added.
Kevin Horne, a miner arrested at Orgreave, emphasized the importance of a quick and thorough inquiry with a tight timescale. “Surviving miners can at last obtain the truth and justice they have been waiting for,” he said.
Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, hailed the inquiry as a “landmark moment for justice and accountability.” He highlighted that the inquiry represents an opportunity to examine not only the actions of South Yorkshire Police and other forces on that day but also the broader role of government at the time. “It’s a step towards setting the historical record straight, ensuring lessons are learned, and restoring public trust,” he concluded.
