Home secretary Amber Rudd, has rejected an inquiry into the “Battle of Orgreave” which took place during the 1984 miners’ strike. The long-awaited decision is a bitter blow to former miners and campaigners who hoped an inquiry would also establish clear links between the misconduct by the South Yorkshire police during the Hillsborough disaster and their behaviour five years earlier at Orgreave. The home secretary ruled out any kind of inquiry.
Announcing her decision in parliament this afternoon she said that very few lessons for the policing system of today could be learned from any review of events 30 years ago.
Campaigners and Labour MPs, who had been encouraged to expect some form of inquiry, are shocked at the decision. According to the Guardian web site, Orgreave Truth and Justice, whose campaigners were in the Commons public gallery to hear the announcement, tweeted: We don’t take no for an answer. Our fight for #orgreavejustice continues. Join us at Barnsley Miners Hall Tue Nov 1st 10am.