Agenda item

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Kieran Harpham

That this Council:-

 

(a)       is appalled by the decision of the Home Secretary not to hold an inquiry into the policing of picket lines at the Orgreave coking plant on 18th June 1984 during the Miners’ Strike, and condemns the decision taken on 31st October 2016 as a great injustice;

 

(b)       believes that with this ruling, the Home Secretary has shown great contempt for the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, many former miners, their families and communities who for more than 32 years have waited for the truth and who have displayed huge courage and tenacity in trying to hold the authorities to account;

 

(c)        observes that even the Independent Police Complaints Commission said in their redacted report released in June 2015 that there was “evidence of excessive violence by police officers, a false narrative from police exaggerating violence by miners, perjury by officers giving evidence to prosecute the arrested men, and an apparent cover-up of that perjury by senior officers”;

 

(d)       is astonished that, in the light of such statements, the Home Secretary concludes that there are few lessons to be learned by the current police forces from any review of these events, there was no miscarriage of justice, no convictions and therefore there will be no inquiry;

 

(e)       notes that 95 miners were arrested and charged with riot offences, but all were later acquitted amid claims that South Yorkshire Police had fabricated evidence, and that there were also widespread examples of pickets reporting they had been beaten unconscious by police officers, and believes that miners suffered such treatment simply for exercising their right to protest against the threat to their jobs, their industry and communities;

 

(f)        believes it is shameful that, as yet, no-one has to answer for the events of that day in 1984, and that Monday 31st October 2016 was a bad day for justice, but does, however, salute the decision of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign to continue with its fight for transparency and a full public inquiry, and commits to do everything we can to help them;

 

(g)       requests that the Government releases all documents relating to Orgreave into the public domain and that the Home Office fully cooperates with all requests for disclosure and answers questions raised by the Home Affairs Select Committee; and

 

(h)       requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Secretary asking that she takes into account the opinion of this Council, accepts that there is widespread public concern about the events at Orgreave, and calling on her to order an inquiry into them.

 

Minutes:

 

Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign

 

 

12.1

RESOLVED: On the Motion of Councillor Kieran Harpham, seconded by Councillor Chris Peace, that this Council:-

 

(a)       is appalled by the decision of the Home Secretary not to hold an inquiry into the policing of picket lines at the Orgreave coking plant on 18th June 1984 during the Miners’ Strike, and condemns the decision taken on 31st October 2016 as a great injustice;

 

(b)       believes that with this ruling, the Home Secretary has shown great contempt for the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, many former miners, their families and communities who for more than 32 years have waited for the truth and who have displayed huge courage and tenacity in trying to hold the authorities to account;

 

(c)        observes that even the Independent Police Complaints Commission said in their redacted report released in June 2015 that there was “evidence of excessive violence by police officers, a false narrative from police exaggerating violence by miners, perjury by officers giving evidence to prosecute the arrested men, and an apparent cover-up of that perjury by senior officers”;

 

(d)       is astonished that, in the light of such statements, the Home Secretary concludes that there are few lessons to be learned by the current police forces from any review of these events, there was no miscarriage of justice, no convictions and therefore there will be no inquiry;

 

(e)       notes that 95 miners were arrested and charged with riot offences, but all were later acquitted amid claims that South Yorkshire Police had fabricated evidence, and that there were also widespread examples of pickets reporting they had been beaten unconscious by police officers, and believes that miners suffered such treatment simply for exercising their right to protest against the threat to their jobs, their industry and communities;

 

(f)        believes it is shameful that, as yet, no-one has to answer for the events of that day in 1984, and that Monday 31st October 2016 was a bad day for justice, but does, however, salute the decision of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign to continue with its fight for transparency and a full public inquiry, and commits to do everything we can to help them;

 

(g)       requests that the Government releases all documents relating to Orgreave into the public domain and that the Home Office fully cooperates with all requests for disclosure and answers questions raised by the Home Affairs Select Committee; and

 

(h)       requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Secretary asking that she takes into account the opinion of this Council, accepts that there is widespread public concern about the events at Orgreave, and calling on her to order an inquiry into them.

 

 

 

12.1.1

The votes on the Motion were ordered to be recorded and were as follows:-

 

 

 

For the Motion (69)

-

The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Anne Murphy) and Councillors Andy Nash, Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Chris Rosling-Josephs, Bryan Lodge, Michelle Cook, Kieran Harpham, Magid Magid, Jackie Drayton, Talib Hussain, Mark Jones, Douglas Johnson, Robert Murphy, Moya O’Rourke, Craig Gamble Pugh, Adam Hanrahan, Mazher Iqbal, Mary Lea, Zahira Naz, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Andy Bainbridge, Steve Wilson, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Paul Scriven, Abdul Khayum, Abtisam Mohamed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Lewis Dagnall, Cate McDonald, Chris Peace, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Bob Johnson, George Lindars-Hammond, Josie Paszek, Lisa Banes, Terry Fox, Pat Midgley, David Barker, Gail Smith, Tony Downing, Nasima Akther, Mohammad Maroof, Alison Teal, Julie Dore, Ben Miskell, Jack Scott, Mike Drabble, Dianne Hurst, Dawn Dale, Peter Price, Leigh Bramall, Jayne Dunn, David Baker, Penny Baker, Richard Crowther, Olivia Blake, Ben Curran, Neale Gibson, Adam Hurst, Zoe Sykes and Mick Rooney.

 

 

 

 

 

Against the Motion (0)

-

Nil

 

 

 

 

 

Abstained on the Motion (3)

-

The Lord Mayor (Councillor Denise Fox) and Councillors Pauline Andrews and Jack Clarkson.

 

 

12.1.2

(NOTE: Councillor Vickie Priestley, having earlier declared an interest in the above item, did not vote on the Motion.)