During a long night 27 years ago Conservative prime minister, Harold Macmillan, who was known as the Unflappable Supermac, suddenly earned himself a new soubriquet. In an unprecedented act of political destruction Mac the Knife sacked a third of his cabinet but he always claimed he was the one to feel the pain. Timewatch: The Night of the Long Knives, BBC 1989
That Macmillan believed there was a conspiracy is confirmed by his son in law Julian Amery. ibid.
There was a serial of further ministerial immersions at Admiralty House. ibid.
‘He sacrificed all his closest advisers and the principle members of his cabinet.’ ibid. Lord Hailsham
You couldn’t not be aware of the tension and anger that was bubbling. Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain I: Community, scab, Channel 4 2024
In 1984 Britain changed for ever. A year that divided communities. Transformed the way we are policed. And revealed who really runs the country. ibid. captions
More than half of Britain’s miners are now on strike. ibid.
Plans are announced to close 20 coal mines resulting in the loss of 20,000 jobs. Arthur Scargill, president of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), calls for a strike. ibid.
One town in Derbyshire would become known as the most divided in Britain – Shirebrook. ibid.
June 1984: Two-thirds of Britain’s miners are out on strike. ibid.
In March 1985 the NUM calls off the year-long dispute. ibid.
Orgreave is number one disaster in my brain. Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain II: Law and Order, miner
Across the country violence between police and miners is increasing. In South Yorkshire the bloodiest day of the strike is about to begin: the Battle of Orgreave. ibid.
Since the start of the strike, police roadblocks have stopped striking miners travelling to working areas. ibid.
‘Orgreave: They [rozzers] even put signs up like an antiques fair so everyone could find their way.’ ibid. miners
The police line pushes the miners away from the plant towards the nearby village … The village is now the front line. ibid. caption
55 miners were charged under the Riot Act. ibid.
This is the Orwellian bit. This is 1984. ibid.
You are causing it by your very presence here. ibid. angry woman to rozzers
The mass corruption in the taking of witness statements. ibid. woman
Their own film does not show miners attacking police. ibid. Michael Mansfield
No officer involved at Orgreave has ever faced disciplinary action. ibid.
Some view Scargill’s strike as an attempt to overthrow Margaret Thatcher’s government. Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain III: Power, caption
I had great trouble in convincing the Nottinghamshire miners to get involved. ibid. NUM officer
Shortly after the strike Nottinghamshire miners break away from the NUM and form their own union. They force out those still loyal to Arthur Scargill. ibid. caption
Arthur Scargill issued a naked threat to the state. ibid. David Hart