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Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Orgreave inquiry serves no one but Labour
In the early 1980s Arthur Scargill became president of the National Union of Mineworkers and set out to bring down the elected government through a campaign of industrial confrontation. The bulk of Britain's miners decided to back him. And Margaret Thatcher was determined to stop him. Let's have an inquiry into all of that. Last week the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced an inquiry into the so-called Battle of Orgreave that she has been advocating for more than ten years. Some people have argued this is pointless, and an odd priority for a government with so many other challenges. Well yes, but I think it is worse than that. • Orgreave inquiry into miners' strike clashes to begin in autumn On June 18, 1984, somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 pickets assembled outside the British Steel coking works in Orgreave, South Yorkshire. It was the climactic moment of the miners' strike that both Scargill and Thatcher had long been preparing for. The aim of the NUM was to stop lorries moving coke from the plant, but the pickets failed. Their challenge was met by something like 5,000 police officers and the confrontation became violent. Exactly why that happened is what the inquiry will seek to establish. There is no question that many officers were violent and overstepped professional boundaries, and that afterwards there was quite a lot of official lying, covering up and fabricating evidence. All of this is quite well known, since the prosecutions of the arrested miners collapsed due to the unreliable evidence, and a number of them received compensation in an out-of-court settlement. The Orgreave inquiry will certainly tell of scandalous behaviour and find plenty that it will wish to criticise. This does not make the inquiry a neutral investigation of the truth. It is, instead, a nakedly political exercise which will be led by someone — the Bishop of Sheffield — who has been campaigning on the issue for many years. What is taking place is an attempt to re-litigate the rights and wrongs of the miners' strike, using the evidence and grievances of only one of the parties involved. Having lost the political argument over the strike at the time, the left has sought to rewrite the history of that disastrous dispute, and Orgreave is their weapon. The idea they are advancing is that the strike was somehow thrust upon the miners against their will, a class provocation by the establishment designed to crush working-class spirit. The Orgreave inquiry will seek to portray the dispute's violence as being originated by the police, with the miners as victims. This narrative must be vigorously resisted. What happened that day wasn't the whole of the miners' strike. The so-called Battle of Orgreave wasn't even the only encounter in Orgreave. On May 29, less than three weeks before the famous battle, mass pickets threw darts and bricks at the police and dozens of people were injured. The miners' strike of 1984 was thrust on to the rest of us by the miners, not by us on to them. It was the NUM who decided to try to bring the UK economy and broader society to its knees, pursuing an economic demand that was utterly ridiculous. The insistence that we continue mining coal whatever its economic viability could not possibly be yielded to by any government. And Scargill did not even really mean it to be yielded to, since his intention was actually to depose the government. The miners gathered in large and deliberately intimidating numbers in order to use their physical presence to prevent other people from going to work. They sought to collapse the economy, destroying the livelihoods of millions of people. They made their particular target those miners who went to work, treating them as traitors in the class struggle — even though Scargill hadn't had the decency to hold a proper strike ballot. All of this was a repeated and violent act, which they intended to continue until we all agreed to do whatever they wanted. Margaret Thatcher and her government determined that this would not be allowed to happen. The police undoubtedly overstepped the mark quite seriously on occasion, but they were defending the freedom of all of us to elect our own government, decide our energy policy, keep the lights and heating on and go about our lawful business as workers and customers. If the police had lost at Orgreave and elsewhere, the losers would have been all of us, and the consequences economically and for the rule of law would have been disastrous. The great irony of the Orgreave inquiry is that it comes about through an appeal to an elected home secretary and relying on the strong sense of the rest of us that justice and the law be upheld, when in fact the strike was an assault on all these things — elected governments, law and justice. That is the actual story of the miners' strike and if Yvette Cooper really feels it is worthwhile, we can have an inquiry into all of that. Let me explain why I think this matters. Liberal democracies must have the self-confidence to defend themselves and to insist that political disputes are settled politically. The moment one group shows it can get its way by violence or threat of violence, everyone will start to do it. People must be free to protest, but using your body to prevent someone going about their lawful business cannot be accepted as a way to win an argument. Take the protests outside migrant accommodation. I have been arguing for much of the past 20 years against rapid mass migration and against the many failures of our asylum system that the disastrous migrant hotels manifest. Protest is inevitable and the reason for it obvious. However, the arrival at these protests of far-right groups and violent individuals, threatening the safety of those inside the hotels and attacking police officers, needs to be met with a vigorous response. Liberal democracies need to police their borders and prevent illegal migration, but they also cannot allow vigilante justice and physical menace to determine asylum policy. The Home Office has rightly formed an investigations unit, with police officers providing intelligence on the protests gathered from social media. Yet this was attacked by Nigel Farage as 'sinister' and by Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, as turning Britain into a 'surveillance state'. An outrageous position. This is not the moment for the home secretary to round on the police and place herself on the side of violent protest, even if that protest was more than 40 years ago. The idea she is pursuing facts to right an ancient injustice is one I completely reject. It is partial truth and sectional justice she is after, in the political interests of the Labour Party.
Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Times
Trump's Scotland visit could be awkward for Starmer — here's what to expect
President Trump's first official trip to the UK since his re-election is highly unpredictable. The White House has nominally described it as a 'private' trip, which ostensibly involves visits to his golf resorts at Turnberry on the Ayrshire coast and Menie in will inevitably be about much more than golf, though. Trump will be accompanied by the full apparatus of the US state — Air Force One and his state car, The Beast. • Trump's links to Scotland — from golf courses to family history Thousands of police officers will be present and the full cost of policing the trip is likely to be more than £10 million, based on previous Trump Keir Starmer will meet the president at Turnberry on Monday, with a formal bilateral meeting and lunch. The White House expects them both to head to Menie, where the US president is expected to play a round of golf to mark the opening of his new course. Given that Starmer has little or no interest in golf, it could be an awkward affair. And as ever with Trump, it is a case of expecting the unexpected. At the centre of the agenda for talks between Starmer and Trump will be trade. The White House said that it wanted to 'refine' the deal hammered out between the nations this year, but what does that mean in practice? Starmer has two priorities, the first of which is removing 25 per cent tariffs on steel exports to the US. There has been a disagreement about the types of steel that would be covered by a zero-tariff quota system, with a discussion over whether imported steel should be covered. The US has also been seeking assurances over British Steel, still formally owned by the Chinese Jingye Group, amid concerns that it could provide Beijing with a back door into the US market. Officials say there has been significant progress in both areas and a deal is expected. The other significant issue is pharmaceuticals. Trump has threatened to levy import duties of up to 200 per cent on drugs coming into the US. Given that the UK exports pharmaceuticals worth £9 billion a year to the US, this is a major cause for concern. A top priority for Starmer will be to ensure that Trump follows through on his dramatic shift of position towards Ukraine. A few months after his disastrous Oval Office bust-up with President Zelensky, Trump is now condemning Russia and saying that he is 'very unhappy' with President Putin for failing to honour his promises. 'He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening,' Trump said recently of his Russian counterpart. Trump has now pledged to send 'top of the line weapons' worth 'billions of dollars' to Europe to help defend Ukraine, while threatening tariffs on countries that trade with Russia. Given Trump's inconsistency, Starmer's priority will be to ensure that this rhetorical shift translates to reliable support for Kyiv. Trump has recently been increasing pressure on Israel to shift approach after reacting badly to what the White House described as 'pictures of starvation of women and children' in Gaza. He has shown clear signs of losing patience with Binyamin Netanyahu, months after tweeting an AI depiction of him relaxing with the Israeli prime minister in a 'Trump Gaza' resort. This presents Starmer with a question about how much political capital to deploy in persuading the president to help force a ceasefire. This week the prime minister described the situation in Gaza as 'intolerable on so many levels' and is facing increasing pressure from the left to do more, including recognising a Palestinian state. However judging how far to push Trump, given the president's long-standing support for Israel, is a delicate calculation. Trump has repeatedly raised his fears over migration in Britain and more widely in Europe, saying that mass migration had created a 'total mess' that the US should learn from. He has said that London in particular is 'no longer recognisable' due to immigration and that it was 'changing the culture' of Europe, including could be asked whether he still considers parts of London 'no-go zones' — a claim he made in 2015 as he said that parts of the capital had been so radicalised that police were afraid to go there, which would reignite his longstanding feud with Sir Sadiq Khan, the London mayor. • What Trump protesters are preparing for his 'welcome' to Scotland In the present climate Trump may have a view on the protests outside asylum hotels and the broader issue of social cohesion. Downing Street will be wary. Trump's administration has deep concerns about the state of free speech in the UK, with officials accusing Britain of 'trampling democracy' and becoming a 'hotbed of digital censorship'. The White House has 'monitored' the case of Lucy Connolly, who was jailed for social media posts over the Southport riots, while JD Vance, the vice-president, has criticised bans on praying outside abortion clinics as infringing religious rights. Vance used his Munich Security Conference speech to claim that 'freedom of expression was 'in retreat' across Britain and wider Europe', directly singling out Online Safety Act, which comes into effect on Friday, has been a particular target of criticism with the US State Department saying that it had 'concern about the spill-over effects that impact free speech in America'. For the president, golf is a serious business and that poses some tricky challenges for Starmer, who does not play. For a start, Trump faces lingering local anger outside Aberdeen over claims he never made good on promises of lucrative development made when he bought the Menie Estate in 2006. Then there is the diplomatic headache of Trump's demand that his other Scottish course, Turnberry, host the Open championship. The British government is said to have interceded with golf's government body the R&A on this issue but will be wary of lobbying for special favours to please a foreign head of state. Unlike Finland's president Alexander Stubb, who wowed Trump with his golf prowess, Starmer has been unable to rely on his putting skills to forge a relationship. Indeed, the only cabinet minister with a serviceable golf game is said to be Lord Hermer. The attorney-general and international law enthusiast, who is unlikely to gel with the president, is not being deployed on the links.
Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Times
Trump's Scotland trip could be awkward for PM — here's what to expect
President Trump's first official trip to the UK since his re-election is highly unpredictable. The White House has nominally described it as a 'private' trip, which ostensibly involves visits to his golf resorts at Turnberry on the Ayrshire coast and Menie in will inevitably be about much more than golf, though. Trump will be accompanied by the full apparatus of the US state — Air Force One and his state car, The Beast. • Trump's links to Scotland — from golf courses to family history Thousands of police officers will be present and the full cost of policing the trip is likely to be more than £10 million, based on previous Trump Keir Starmer will meet the president at Turnberry on Monday, with a formal bilateral meeting and lunch. The White House expects them both to head to Menie, where the US president is expected to play a round of golf to mark the opening of his new course. Given that Starmer has little or no interest in golf, it could be an awkward affair. And as ever with Trump, it is a case of expecting the unexpected. At the centre of the agenda for talks between Starmer and Trump will be trade. The White House said that it wanted to 'refine' the deal hammered out between the nations this year, but what does that mean in practice? Starmer has two priorities, the first of which is removing 25 per cent tariffs on steel exports to the US. There has been a disagreement about the types of steel that would be covered by a zero-tariff quota system, with a discussion over whether imported steel should be covered. The US has also been seeking assurances over British Steel, still formally owned by the Chinese Jingye Group, amid concerns that it could provide Beijing with a back door into the US market. Officials say there has been significant progress in both areas and a deal is expected. The other significant issue is pharmaceuticals. Trump has threatened to levy import duties of up to 200 per cent on drugs coming into the US. Given that the UK exports pharmaceuticals worth £9 billion a year to the US, this is a major cause for concern. A top priority for Starmer will be to ensure that Trump follows through on his dramatic shift of position towards Ukraine. A few months after his disastrous Oval Office bust-up with President Zelensky, Trump is now condemning Russia and saying that he is 'very unhappy' with President Putin for failing to honour his promises. 'He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening,' Trump said recently of his Russian counterpart. Trump has now pledged to send 'top of the line weapons' worth 'billions of dollars' to Europe to help defend Ukraine, while threatening tariffs on countries that trade with Russia. Given Trump's inconsistency, Starmer's priority will be to ensure that this rhetorical shift translates to reliable support for Kyiv. Trump has recently been increasing pressure on Israel to shift approach after reacting badly to what the White House described as 'pictures of starvation of women and children' in Gaza. He has shown clear signs of losing patience with Binyamin Netanyahu, months after tweeting an AI depiction of him relaxing with the Israeli prime minister in a 'Trump Gaza' resort. This presents Starmer with a question about how much political capital to deploy in persuading the president to help force a ceasefire. This week the prime minister described the situation in Gaza as 'intolerable on so many levels' and is facing increasing pressure from the left to do more, including recognising a Palestinian state. However judging how far to push Trump, given the president's long-standing support for Israel, is a delicate calculation. Trump has repeatedly raised his fears over migration in Britain and more widely in Europe, saying that mass migration had created a 'total mess' that the US should learn from. He has said that London in particular is 'no longer recognisable' due to immigration and that it was 'changing the culture' of Europe, including could be asked whether he still considers parts of London 'no-go zones' — a claim he made in 2015 as he said that parts of the capital had been so radicalised that police were afraid to go there, which would reignite his longstanding feud with Sir Sadiq Khan, the London mayor. • What Trump protesters are preparing for his 'welcome' to Scotland In the present climate Trump may have a view on the protests outside asylum hotels and the broader issue of social cohesion. Downing Street will be wary. Trump's administration has deep concerns about the state of free speech in the UK, with officials accusing Britain of 'trampling democracy' and becoming a 'hotbed of digital censorship'. The White House has 'monitored' the case of Lucy Connolly, who was jailed for social media posts over the Southport riots, while JD Vance, the vice-president, has criticised bans on praying outside abortion clinics as infringing religious rights. Vance used his Munich Security Conference speech to claim that 'freedom of expression was 'in retreat' across Britain and wider Europe', directly singling out Online Safety Act, which comes into effect on Friday, has been a particular target of criticism with the US State Department saying that it had 'concern about the spill-over effects that impact free speech in America'. For the president, golf is a serious business and that poses some tricky challenges for Starmer, who does not play. For a start, Trump faces lingering local anger outside Aberdeen over claims he never made good on promises of lucrative development made when he bought the Menie Estate in 2006. Then there is the diplomatic headache of Trump's demand that his other Scottish course, Turnberry, host the Open championship. The British government is said to have interceded with golf's government body the R&A on this issue but will be wary of lobbying for special favours to please a foreign head of state. Unlike Finland's president Alexander Stubb, who wowed Trump with his golf prowess, Starmer has been unable to rely on his putting skills to forge a relationship. Indeed, the only cabinet minister with a serviceable golf game is said to be Lord Hermer. The attorney-general and international law enthusiast, who is unlikely to gel with the president, is not being deployed on the links.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rock legends deliver 'bone crushing' gig and pay tribute to Ozzy Osborne
Review: Judas Priest, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, July 23, 2025 Words and photos by Dave Lawrence HEAVY Metal royalty in the form of Judas Priest were the latest band to take the stage at Scarborough Open Air Theatre last night. Birmingham's metal gods were here to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their classic Painkiller album. They also performed material from their fine 2024 release Invincible Shield and threw in an abundance of classic tracks from their extensive career. The band delivered a bone crushing performance that those who witnessed it will cherish for a long time. Before the band arrived on stage the PA played War Pigs, the band's regular tribute to the hugely influential Black Sabbath. Halford and bassist Ian Hill are the only two original band members still touring but guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap do great jobs and drummer Scott Travis can hardly be considered a newcomer having joined in 1990. Halford, wearing a heavily studded black leather frock coat paced the stage as they band launched into a killer version of All Guns Blazing. Resembling a metal priest with his shaven head, nose ring, extravagant beard and shades he moved close to each guitarist make spell casting gestures as they shredded away on their instruments. Hell Patrol followed and had the audience going wild much to Halford's delight as he yelled to his acolytes, 'Hello metal maniacs, your priest is back!' The band didn't take their foot off the throttle although Halford removed his shades and swapped jackets regularly before leading the band through an awesome version of one of their signature songs, Another Thing Coming. A couple of fan favourites, Breaking the Law from 1980's British Steel album and Freewheel Burning came early in the set and the band showed they had plenty in reserve by performing Solar Angels a song from the early eighties. The stage set, light show and screens were spectacular, and the sound was punishingly loud with the twin guitars cutting through Hill's bass and Travis's double kick bass drumming. Introducing Giants in the Sky, Halford paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osborne saying 'It's been a tough 24 hours. But Ozzy would want us to be out together, enjoying ourselves and having a good time. We Love you Ozzy'. During the song - a tribute to musicians now gone - the screen displayed images of the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Lemmy, Freddie Mercury, Taylor Hawkins and Christine McVie finishing on two gigantic images of Ozzy. During Hell Bent for Leather we got the smoke, the thunderous revving, and yes, we got Halford arriving on stage astride a Harley Davidson wearing a leather cap with a riding crop clenched between his teeth. Wrapping up a superb performance the metal gods returned to the British Steel album and Living After Midnight. Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons opened the show. Campbell was Motorhead's guitarist from 1984 until Lemmy's death in 2015 when Campbell set up the new band which features his three sons, Todd, Dane and Tyla. Their set warmed us up nicely, particularly their takes on the Motorhead songs Going to Brazil and Ace of Spades.
Leader Live
24-07-2025
- General
- Leader Live
Tributes paid to Trevor Jones, volunteer at Wrexham Maelor
Trevor Jones, 86, passed away following a short battle with illness on July 1. A former accountant, with roles at British Steel and Airbus, Trevor was perhaps more well known for his volunteering with the Wrexham Maelor Hospital League of Friends. Over the years Trevor held multiple roles including treasurer of the group, with it estimated he volunteered at the hospital for over 25 years. Tervor Jones (far right) (Image: Archive) Trevor was described as a much loved son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, great-uncle and great-great-uncle, and who will sadly missed by all family and friends. Following his passing, tributes have been paid to him, praising his volunteering efforts His nephew, Peter Williams said: 'The time he spent at the hospital was phenomenal. He lived in Leeswood and would be there twice a day. He loved it. 'He was born in Hull but moved to Pontblyddyn during the War, where he stayed until around 1980 then he moved to Leeswood. 'He was an accountant by trade, but had jobs with British Steel and Airbus. He also did other bits of volunteering. 'Trevor was very private but had a heart of gold and would do anything for anybody.' Colleagues from the Maelor League of Friends have also paid tribute to him. Trevor Jones (bottom left) (Image: Archive) Chris Hughes said: 'He was a lovely, lovely man. 'He spent hours and hours here and was well known round the hospital and wards. He probably knew everyone in the hospital. 'He was quiet but was always wanting to help people and to provide a service to the people in the hospital. 'During covid, he saved himself 6,500 miles on his car from not driving here twice a day. MOST READ: Heartfelt tributes paid to cricketer described as a 'true asset' to his club Dog rescued by Flintshire animal centre after 'awful start to life' looking for home The Ship Hotel named finalist as the Leader searches for 'Best Pub 2025' 'Trevor was a well known character and was famous for Trevor's trollies. 'He never wanted a fuss, but did a lot of work behind the scenes and would be organising all sorts. 'He was a true volunteer, very committed and never took a penny.' Trevor's funeral service will take place at Christ Church, Pontblyddyn, on Friday, August 1 at 12pm, followed by committal at Flintshire Crematorium, Northop at 1pm.
