The Police, Public Order, and Civil Liberties: Legacies of the Miners' Strike

The police played a partisan role in assisting the defeat of the 1984-5 miners' strike, leading to an inquiry by the National Council for Civil Liberties. This book provides a detailed account of the policing of the strike, analysing the events and conflicts of civil liberties involved. It concludes with recommendations for a Bill of Rights to cover civil liberties during industrial conflict and a new picketing Code of Practice.

Format: Hardback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The role of the police in an industrial dispute is a complex and multifaceted issue that has been the subject of much debate and discussion. While the police have a legal and moral responsibility to maintain public order and protect the rights of individuals, their involvement in industrial disputes can often be seen as partisan and controversial.

In the case of the 1984-5 miners' strike in the United Kingdom, the police played a significant role in assisting the defeat of the strike. Widespread concern over police roadblocks, allegations of police and picket violence, and the huge numbers of police used to maintain order and access to work led the National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) to set up an inquiry into the policing of the strike.

The Inquiry Panel, which included former Chief Constable John Alderson and NCCL General Secretary Larry Gostin, produced an interim report that acknowledged the rights of both striking and non-striking miners. However, the NCCL disowned the report due to its acknowledgement of the rights of working miners, which went against their own political agenda. The members of the Panel then resigned, but continued work as a group of private individuals.

Originally published in 1988, this book is their final report, which provides a detailed account of the policing of the strike from a range of published, unpublished, and eyewitness sources. The strike is set in the context of developments in law and policing before and since, and the authors are able to provide a unique and authoritative perspective, analysing both the events of 1984-5 and the longer-term trends and problems.

In their conclusions and recommendations, the authors present an informed view of the use of the police during the strike, the breakdown of the system of police accountability, and the policies developed since the strike. They argue that the need for a Bill of Rights to cover civil liberties during industrial conflict and the need for a new picketing Code of Practice are essential to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.

The Police, Public Order, and Civil Liberties is a seminal work that will be essential reading for all concerned with the police, industrial relations, and the political and constitutional issues surrounding the policing of industrial disputes. It provides a comprehensive and detailed account of the events of 1984-5 and the longer-term trends and problems, and offers valuable insights into the use of the police in such situations.

Weight: 570g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032420097