UPDATE: Urgent calls have emerged from the Home Office demanding the preservation of critical records related to the infamous Battle of Orgreave, following revelations that Northumbria Police destroyed key documents. Lord Hanson of Flint, a minister in the House of Lords, asserted that police records “should not be going missing or being destroyed” amid ongoing inquiries into the violent confrontations of the 1984 miners’ strike.
Earlier today in Westminster, Lord Hanson emphasized the importance of these documents, stating that they are vital to the inquiry led by the Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Rev Dr Peter Wilcox, which is expected to launch this autumn. He said, “If papers are available then they should be available to the inquiry and should not be going missing or being destroyed.”
This urgent situation arose after Northumbria Police confirmed they disposed of two boxes of documents in April 2024, citing compliance with their internal policy and the Data Protection Act 2018. The announcement has sparked outrage, with local MP Ian Lavery describing the news as “extremely disturbing.”
The inquiry will scrutinize events surrounding the clashes at Orgreave on June 18, 1984, where over 120 people were injured and 95 picketers were arrested on charges that were later dropped due to discredited evidence. The investigation aims to uncover the truth about police tactics during the confrontation, with campaigners alleging that miners were assaulted and wrongfully arrested.
Lord Hanson also highlighted new guidelines introduced by the College of Policing in 2023, aimed at improving record-keeping practices following lessons learned from the Hillsborough disaster cover-up. He reiterated the importance of maintaining proper records in the public interest.
As this story develops, stakeholders and the public await the findings of the upcoming inquiry, which promises to bring transparency to a critical chapter in British labor history. For ongoing updates, readers are encouraged to subscribe to local news platforms, including ChronicleLive’s dedicated WhatsApp community, to receive real-time news alerts directly to their devices.
Stay tuned for further developments on this significant issue as the inquiry progresses and more details emerge.
