Unearthing the Orgreave Truth: A Long-awaited Inquiry

The British government proclaimed on Monday its intention to conduct a public inquiry into the notorious 'Battle of Orgreave'—a violent collision between police forces and coal miners that became emblematic of the conflict between unions and then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government.

The incident on June 18, 1984, resulted in injuries to 120 miners and police when law enforcement clashed with workers attempting to blockade trucks at the Orgreave Coking Plant in northern England. This event unfolded three months into a nationwide strike protesting the closure of coal pits and the potential layoffs of 20,000 miners.

The confrontation symbolized a crucial juncture in Thatcher's agenda to dismantle trade union influence and reshape the UK economy with free-market policies. The miners' eventual defeat marked the beginning of the end for British coal mining, a sector that once employed 180,000 people. An inquiry led by Pete Wilcox, bishop of Sheffield, will seek to address longstanding questions regarding police deployment and command decisions at Orgreave.

(With inputs from agencies.)