Orgreave 1984 - Inquiry announced

Over 20 inquiries are either on-going or have been announced (Institute for Government - June 2025). 

Just announced is the "Orgreave" inquiry into events at the Orgreave Coking Plant on 18 June 1984 - The Guardian 21 July 2025. 

 

The intention to set up such an inquiry was included in the Labour Party's 2024 election manifesto.

As The Guardian article notes - 'At Orgreave, about 8,000 miners assembled for a mass picket called by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), and were met by 6,000 police officers from forces nationwide, led by South Yorkshire police. The violence that ensued has become an infamous episode in British history, police charging on horseback and hitting miners over the head with truncheons.'

Further details

of the planned inquiry are awaited including the terms of reference. 

Earlier this year, it was reportedthat Police records relating to Orgreave had been destroyed. The view of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign is at 'Northumbria Police destroy documents and records relating to the Miners' Strike and Orgreave'

Police Officers from various Forces were deployed to mining areas during the 1984 strike.

A public petition was presented to Parliament in 2021 - HERE.  The petition was rejected. The government stated that it remained 'of the view that establishing any kind of inquiry into the policing of the events at Orgreave in 1984, or of the miners’ strike of 1984-85, is not in the wider public interest or required for any other reason.'

The Guardian 21 July 2025 - Orgreave Inquiry: Why now and what are the crucial questions it seeks to answer? and Police behaviour at protests .....

Orgreave, South Yorkshire