Call for probe into miners’ strike by Yorkshire MP

The left wing Bradford West Respect MP said newly-released Cabinet papers from 1984 raised important questions.

The papers revealed that miners’ leader Arthur Scargill may have been right to claim there was a “secret hit-list” of more than 70 pits marked for closure.

At the time, the government and National Coal Board said they wanted to close 20.

Last week the documents revealed a plan to close 75 mines over three years.

Mr Galloway claimed yesterday that the government at the time had lied.

He also wants police actions during and after the clashes at the Orgreave coke works at Rotherham to be subject to a public inquiry.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is currently considering whether to investigate South Yorkshire Police.

The force referred itself to the IPCC after a documentary claimed officers may have colluded in writing court statements.

Police made more than 90 arrests at Orgreave during clashes between 10,000 striking miners and around 5,000 police officers.

Those charged with riot were later cleared after doubts were raised in court about police evidence.

Mr Galloway said “police action at Orgreave saw a lot of miners fitted up” which he compared with the actions of police in the wake of the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, also subject to an IPCC probe.