Sir Keir Starmer considering ‘next steps’ for truth over Battle of Orgreave
Sir Keir Starmer has said that the Government is considering “the next steps” to uncover the truth about the policing at the Battle of Orgreave.
More than 100 picketers and police officers were injured during one of the most violent days of the year-long miners’ strike at a coking plant near Rotherham on 18 June 1984.
At the Budget, Labour announced reforms to the mineworkers’ pension scheme, which will see more than 100,000 former miners receive £1.5 billion of money that was kept from their pensions.
In prime minister’s questions yesterday, Blyth and Ashington MP Ian Lavery raised the case of an inquiry into the violent policing over the miners’ strike.
“Within weeks … the government delivered for the mineworkers in the mineworkers pension scheme,” he said.
It was so well received and it was justice done. However, is it not time to seek the truth with regards to the policing during the miners’ strikes.
“Would the Prime Minister commit to an early and full inquiry into the policing during the miners’ strikes, something that that lot [Conservatives] denied for generations?”
Sir Keir replied: “I’m grateful for him for raising this, and the mineworkers’ pension scheme reversed a historic injustice and I was so pleased we were able to do that in the Budget.
“In relation to the miners’ strike, as I think he knows I’ve met some of the Orgreave campaigners and listened to what they have to say.
“They are entitled to the truth, and we are thinking carefully about what the next steps should be to deliver that for them.”
In its manifesto, Labour promised “to ensure, through an investigation or inquiry, that the truth about the events at Orgreave comes to light”.