Prime Minister urged to order inquiry into Battle of Orgreave

At the Labour Party conference this week, Mr Burnham said campaigners should not be made to beg for justice.

The Battle of Orgreave in 1984 was a violent clash between picketing miners and police officers at the Orgreave coking plant.

Mr Burnham called for the success of the Hillsborough campaign, where families of the Hillsborough disaster victims fought for an inquiry to uncover the truth, to be a 'real moment of change'.

He said: "Prime Minister - don't make people plead. Do the right thing.

"You invited the Orgreave campaign to submit a request for a full inquiry.

"Fulfill your promise on the steps of Downing Street to heal divides and order it now."

Campaigners claim some of the officers at the Battle of Orgreave used excessive violence and accounts were later fabricated.

Police statements over the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 football fans died in April 1989, were also amended to try to divert blame from South Yorkshire Police onto the fans.

Mr Burnham said miners do not want their children to grow up believing police officers are untrustworthy.

"Today's police officers don't deserve these clouds of the past hanging over them," he said.

"They are out there right now putting themselves at risk keeping us safe and we thank them for what they do for us.

"But the miners aren't getting any younger. Don't they deserve peace and reconciliation too?"