Orgreave campaigners pressure Theresa May for decision on public inquiry

It has now been three months since the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign made legal submissions to Home Secretary Theresa May putting their case for a public inquiry to be established.

With no decision yet made, campaigners are now calling on union members, councillors and Labour Party members to sign a motion to send to the Government.

The motion reads: “The Home Secretary has been in receipt of the legal submission submitted by the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, since 15th December 2015 and as not yet responded to requests for second meeting with Theresa May.

“The issue of Orgreave is of local and national importance to all the public as the style of policing undertaken at the time was in our names.

“A full investigation into the military style policing used on that day is now long overdue and only a full public inquiry can fully investigate this.”

Barbara Jackson, from the campaign, said Ms May had written to them in March to say she was considering the detailed legal submissions and hoped to provide a response ‘very soon’.

Mrs Jackson said: “It does seem promising but we have been down this road before.”

Campaigners were left disappointed in June after the Independent Police Complaints Commission said it would not investigate alleged police misconduct surrounding the miners’ strike.

Ninety-five people were arrested in the clash between picketing miners and police in June 1984.

All cases were abandoned due to unreliable evidence and South Yorkshire Police paid £425,000 in out-of-court settlements to 39 pickets.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The Home Secretary is considering a submission from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign on the need for an inquiry relating to events at Orgreave.

“She will set out the Government’s position in due course.”