Orgreave

[cromwell]

This is absolutely baffling me. Thirty two years ago there was a mass illegal picket at the Orgreave coking works in South Yorkshire. The police, in many peoples eyes, used vastly excessive force against the striking miners. Charges into them on horseback, hitting them with batons, etc.

Subsequently the police charged 71 men with riot and 24 with violent disorder. The judge threw the cases out of court, with police evidence being branded "unreliable". In 1991 38 miners were paid £425,000 in compensation by South Yorkshire police.

So you have to ask, why the calls for a public inquiry? The legal system worked, eventually. Nobody was convicted, the cases were thrown out, compensation was paid.

The only thing that I can see is missing is action against the police in charge on the day and any who used excessive force; the evidence for who what and where is readily available so if anyone wants to take out a private prosecution, do so (unless the compo deal included a waiver on that?).

What is a public inquiry going to achieve? It won't tell you anything that isn't already known, it's going to be massively expensive and it will produce nothing at all.

This wasn't Hillsborough; nobody died. Nobody got convicted, the judge rightly threw the prosecutions out and compensation was paid (not that the BBC actually bother to mention this). Plus, it was thirty two years since, for God's sake! The Orgreave plant was knocked down years since; all the mines are shut; the police who did this are long retired - what is the actual point of a public inquiry? It beats me.

[Workingman]

I see that Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, has now ruled out an inquiry. Good for her.

Raking over old coals thirty two years after the event will achieve absolutely nothing except to make professional Public Inquiry campaigner, Michael Mansfield QC, richer than he already is. Instead she is looking to make official papers from the incident open to the public.

However, even without the papers there is plenty of archive material from the press and TV broadcasters out there for those who are that interested. They should go look at them, write a book, whatever, but do not expect to use public time and money to bolster their prejudices, because that is what they really want and they will not be satisfied until they get the 'right' result, as was seen with Hillsborough.

[Suff]

She'd do better to sack the top 5 layers across the Police and promote from within to replace them, with the absolute clarity that if they don't clear the mess up they'll be next and without pension...

From what I'm hearing, internally, the problem is right at the top and they are unassailable. This call is just another attempt to bring that to light. Of course it's failed, but it's not about money. The courts know what the problem is and are working against it. Sadly this also causes some to get off who should not.

I also have a big issue with treating 20th century events with 21st century pink frilly skirt values. The 70's and 80's were a rough time and the miners were no shrinking violets. However the levels of violence brought against them were excessive and that has been dealt with.

[Workingman]

Looking at recent events there is probably a good case for a clean out of the 'officer classes' of police as well as a few 'political' Police and Crime Commissioners.

Orgreave, on the other hand, was way back in 1984, it is done and dusted, case closed. We cannot keep on revisiting these historic events. Where do we stop?

[cromwell]

I also have a big issue with treating 20th century events with 21st century pink frilly skirt values. The 70's and 80's were a rough time and the miners were no shrinking violets.

This is true and it is never mentioned. Some of those boys were "handy" lads and didn't hold back from throwing a few right crosses.

[Suff]

Talking to #1 son about internal police persecution of the grunts by the management has been enlightening. There is the potential for a HUGE compensation claim in his area right now. Management going berserk to try to get at the line animals without any evidence at all.