Policing of the miners' strike 1984-1985 - impact on communities: independent review

Introduction

The origins of this review are explained in Chapter 1. The subject of the review is, as emphasised by many people when it was set up, a matter of continuing importance to many individuals and communities throughout Scotland. My colleagues and I have been privileged to meet and hear from many of those who are still affected by the Strike. Their evidence, whether from responses to the Call for Evidence, at public meetings or other meetings with the Review Team, appears throughout the report. Quotes (anonymised) from responses to the Call for Evidence can be recognised by an identifier comprising letters and numbers, for example, BHLF-EQ6D-TUX6-7. Quotes from meetings state in brackets whether they are from a miner or a police officer.

Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, we were unable to hear from everyone we would have wished to speak to. Some did not respond, or were unable to, do so, for example, through ill-health or infirmity. Some had died. Nonetheless, we have heard from many individuals over the past year and obtained enough evidence to be able to complete this report.