Bishop who criticised Tories to lead Orgreave inquiry
Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, confirmed that the inquiry would look at events surrounding the clashes between police and miners at the Orgreave coking plant in South Yorkshire in June 1984, when Margaret Thatcher was in power.
She announced it would be chaired by Dr Pete Wilcox, the Bishop of Sheffield.
Five years ago, Dr Wilcox criticised Boris Johnson on social media after his adviser Dominic Cummings was accused of breaking Covid rules with a trip to Barnard Castle. He also put his name to an open letter urging against a no-deal Brexit in 2019.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary, said: 'A hand-picked selection of Lefties will inevitably produce a biased report. Taxpayers' money will be used for the propaganda purposes of the Labour movement.
'This is a bung to the Left, which will no doubt attack the police who bravely did their job and stood up against mob violence.'
In his Twitter post in May 2020, Dr Wilcox wrote:
I don't usually tweet politics, and I have carefully steered clear during the pandemic. But tonight I must say: the PM & his cabinet are undermining the trust of the electorate and the risks to life are real.
— Pete Wilcox (@PeteWilcox1564) May 24, 2020
The no-deal Brexit letter said: 'Seeing the evidence of division in every part of England, we are deeply concerned about political polarisation and language that appears to sanction hate crime.
The reframing of the language of political discourse is urgent, especially given the abuse and threats levelled at MPs doing their job.'
The inquiry, expected to launch in the autumn, will investigate the events surrounding Orgreave clashes, which resulted in 120 injuries.
A total of 95 picketers were arrested and initially charged with rioting and violent disorder, but all charges were later dropped after police evidence was discredited.
The inquiry will be statutory, with the appropriate powers to compel people to provide information where necessary.
Dr Wilcox said: 'I am extremely grateful to the Home Secretary for the opportunity to chair this inquiry and for the support I shall be given in doing so. I do not underestimate the weight of expectation or the significance of the task.
'I look forward to engaging with stakeholders in the coming weeks over the draft terms of reference, and to working with the government to identify experts to support me on the independent panel.
'I expect the panel to begin its work in the autumn, and we will endeavour to deliver an inquiry which is thorough and fair, and which will uncover what happened at Orgreave as swiftly as possible.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
20 minutes ago
- BBC News
Licence bid for Bournemouth bar that employed illegal workers
A company has applied to sell alcohol at a chicken bar that had a licence to do so revoked for employing illegal permission for Chicken N Beer in Stanfield Road, Bournemouth, to sell alcohol was removed in May after immigration officials saw a man and a woman run out of the back in February.A new company has applied to sell alcohol there but Dorset Police said it has "significant concerns" about the relationship between its owner and the man previously responsible for the Brands Ltd's application for the new premises licence at Chicken N Beer will be decided by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council's licensing sub-committee on Tuesday. The company said it would "operate in strict adherence to licensing restrictions" if the application is Dorset Police's licensing officer Louise Busfield said it is "essential" the force gets "robust assurances" about the relationship between the potential operator and the former company that ran it."Dorset Police has significant concerns that this application may amount to an attempt to continue operating the premises under a new entity, while still maintaining influence or control by the former operator whose licence was revoked," she of the people apprehended after fleeing Chicken N Beer earlier this year had ever got permission to work in the country, the Home Office said in bar's former premises licence holder, Roy Francis, said he had resigned as a director of the company that previously ran it before the man and woman were found working the Licensing Act 2003, which is mostly managed by councils, licence holders must abide by its conditions including the prevention of crime and disorder. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Champion kickboxer loses bid to sue Egyptian tycoon for 'many millions' in British courts for the murder of his pop star girlfriend
A champion kickboxer has lost his bid to sue an Egyptian multi-millionaire in British courts after his girlfriend was savagely murdered. Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim shot to fame as winner of a 'Pop Idol'-style Arabic TV talent show in 1996 and became one of the biggest stars in the Middle East. After moving to the UK, she formed a relationship with flamboyant London-based British-Iraqi kickboxer, Riyadh Al-Azzawi, a former six-time world champion, renowned for his fleet of gold-plated supercars. But her life was cut short aged 30 in 2008 when she was savagely murdered in a Dubai apartment by killer Mohsen Al-Sukkari. A Dubai court found the assassin had been directed by Ms Tamim's spurned suitor, multi-millionaire Egyptian tycoon Hisham Talaat Moustafa and the pair were convicted of murder and initially sentenced to death in 2010. They were later re-sentenced to jail terms, but Mr Moustafa was given a presidential pardon and released in 2017. After earlier claims through the Dubai criminal courts were rejected, Mr Al-Azzawi in 2022 instead brought a civil claim for 'many millions' in compensation to the High Court in London. But his UK compensation bid has been ended after High Court judge, Mr Justice Butcher, overturned previous orders which had extended time for the case to be served on Mr Moustafa outside of the country. The court heard kickboxer Mr Al-Azzawi was born in Iraq, but moved to the UK, where he obtained British citizenship. He now spends his time between London and Dubai. He became the first Arab to win the world kickboxing title in 2008, before chalking up another five subsequent victories. Known as the 'golden champion', the 39-year-old is famed for his flamboyance, wearing golden clothes and jewellery and driving gold-wrapped sports cars. Ms Tamim, who he claims to have wed in an Islamic marriage in 2007, found fame in the late 1990s after winning top prize in the popular Studio El Fan television show. Setting out Mr Al-Azzawi's case, the judge said he claimed Egyptian tycoon Mr Moustafa had attempted to pressure Ms Tamim into marriage, causing her to flee from Egypt to London. She met the kickboxer there, but Mr Moustafa 'had not abandoned his pursuit' of her and, after offering her money, 'then turned to direct threats and intimidation'. 'In the particulars of claim, it is alleged that one of these threats was a message sent to Ms Tamim while she was in London, which said, "Fifty million dollars says you come back to Cairo to marry me or one million dollars says I have your throat cut",' said the judge. 'The claimant's evidence is, further, that in July 2008, Ms Tamim travelled to Dubai to stay in the apartment which she and the claimant owned. 'On 28 July 2008, she was murdered in that apartment by Mohsen Al-Sukkari, a former officer with the Egyptian police, who took not only Ms Tamim's life but that of her and the claimant's unborn child. 'The Dubai police had then launched an investigation, which had gathered evidence indicating that the defendant (Mr Moustafa) had ordered the murder and paid Al-Sukkari a substantial sum for it to be done.' Both men were found guilty after several trials and appeals, with Mr Al-Sukkari ultimately jailed for life and Mr Moustafa for 15 years. Mr Moustafa, who is now 65, was released after receiving a presidential pardon in 2017, while Mr Al-Sukkari was released in similar circumstances in 2022. Mr Al-Azzawi ultimately launched his case against Mr Moustafa in 2022, having complained of 'grief, psychological and emotional damage' and a serious negative impact on his kickboxing career, as well as future loss of earnings on behalf of his late partner's estate. He estimated his claim would be worth 'many millions,' said the judge. However, because Mr Moustafa was outside of the UK, he had to apply for permission from the High Court to serve claim documents outside the country. The kickboxer was initially successful but the case came back to court earlier this month when Mr Moustafa applied for the orders to be set aside, claiming that the UK court has no jurisdiction to hear the claim. His lawyers claimed there was a failure on the part of Mr Al-Azzawi's team to 'make proper disclosure' in relation to their argument that he brought his claim too late under UAE law, a fact which the High Court was bound to take into account. Giving judgment, Mr Justice Butcher said Mr Moustafa claimed it is 'highly arguable' that the claim would be considered too late - 'time-barred' - and agreed that there is 'at the least, a very real question as to whether proceedings commenced in 2022 are time-barred.' He said there had been 'a failure to comply with the duty to make proper disclosure' when Mr Al-Azzawi's lawyers sought permission to serve the UK case papers on Mr Moustafa in Egypt and that the orders extending time and allowing service outside of the UK would be set aside. He said: 'While it is argued by the claimant that this gives rise to a windfall to the defendant, who is not required to answer for the claimant's claim, founded as it is on a truly appalling incident, this is something which is common in applications of this sort. 'If the claimant cannot now pursue his claims because they are time-barred, the responsibility for that does not rest with the defendant.' He added that, even if the service orders had not been set aside, he would have halted the UK action on the basis that the Dubai courts were 'clearly and distinctly more appropriate' for deciding the claim. The kickboxer can continue his bid to sue in the UAE if the courts there find he is not outside the time limit to do so.
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- The Independent
Surgeon who had his legs amputated and told insurers he had sepsis charged with fraud
A vascular surgeon who carried out hundreds of amputations before having his own legs removed to allegedly claim insurance cash has been charged with fraud. Neil Hopper, 49, is accused of telling insurers that the leg injuries were the 'result of sepsis and were not self-inflicted', intending to make a gain. He has also been charged with encouraging someone else to remove the body parts of others. Hopper, of Truro in Cornwall, is due before Cornwall Magistrates' Court in Bodmin on Wednesday, charged with two counts of fraud by false representation, and a charge of encouraging or assisting in the commission of an indictable-only offence, namely grievous bodily harm. It is alleged that between 3 June and 26 June 2019, Hopper dishonestly made a false representation to insurers. It is also alleged that between 21 August 2018 and 4 December 2020, Hopper bought videos from The EunuchMaker website showing the removal of limbs, which 'encouraged [website ringleader] Marius Gustavson to remove body parts of third parties'. Hopper has not worked at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust since March 2023 and the charges are not connected to his work. The General Medical Council placed restrictions on his practice the following month, and he has been suspended from the medical register since December 2023. A Devon and Cornwall Police spokeswoman said: 'The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, where Mr Hopper has been employed, has worked closely with Devon and Cornwall Police throughout the investigation.' A hospital trust spokesman added: 'The charges do not relate to Mr Hopper's professional conduct and there has been no evidence to suggest any risk to patients. 'Mr Hopper worked at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals from 2013 until he was suspended from duty in March 2023, following his initial arrest. 'Former patients with any questions or concerns about their treatment can contact the Royal Cornwall Hospitals' patient experience team.'
