Durham Miners Association 'outraged' at Government's 'Battle of Orgreave' decision

Ms Rudd said she made the "difficult decision" because "ultimately there were no deaths or wrongful convictions" resulting from the violent encounter in 1984.

It has been branded as "outrageous" by the Durham Miners Association.

Ms Rudd acknowledged her decision would be a "significant disappointment" to the Orgreave Truth And Justice Campaign, which was calling for a full public inquiry into South Yorkshire Police's conduct during the clashes.

An absolutely outrageous decision by the Home Secretary to rule out an inquiry into Orgreave.

— Durham Miners (@DurhamMiners) October 31, 2016

Ms Rudd rejected the campaign's assessment that had the events of the so-called battle of Orgreave been dealt with properly at the time, the Hillsborough disaster would not have happened.

In a written ministerial statement, she said: "This has been a difficult decision to make, and one which I have thought about very carefully.

"I have now concluded that there is not a sufficient basis for me to instigate either a statutory inquiry or an independent review.

"I know that this decision will come as a significant disappointment to the Orgreave Truth And Justice Campaign and its supporters and I have set out in a letter to them today the detailed reasons for my decision which include the following points.

"Despite the forceful accounts and arguments provided by the campaigners and former miners who were present that day, about the effect that these events have had on them, ultimately there were no deaths or wrongful convictions.

"The campaigners say that had the consequences of the events at Orgreave been addressed properly at the time, the tragic events at Hillsborough would never have happened five years later.

"That is not a conclusion which I believe can be reached with any certainty."

Alan Cummings, general secretary of Durham Miners’ Association

Alan Cummings, general secretary of Durham Miners’ Association, said: “The reaction is going to be huge up and down the country. People will see that there was an injustice and they want to see fair play. They want to see this chapter closed with Orgreave.

“South Yorkshire Police have got to be brought to account.

“It is hugely important that we have this public inquiry.

“Orgreave is significant because of what took place at Hillsborough.

“What came out of the Orgreave trials, we must remember, is that their prosecution case collapsed before we had given evidence. It is important to investigate what took place that day.

“The actions of the police that day were disgraceful. It was a trap by the Government and the police to give the miners a bloody nose.

"Yes, there was violence but people react to what happened and everyone has seen the footage of the police horses charging at full pelt at people wearing ordinary clothes and sandshoes. They were suited and booted in riot gear.

“It was horrifying. It is a miracle no one was killed.

“Durham Miners’ Association think there should be a public inquiry into what took place over the whole of the dispute. Over 11,000 miners were arrested, over 8,000 were charged. “No police officers were charged. That is not right.

“There has to be a line drawn somewhere, but we had lads criminalised for fighting for their jobs and their communities.”

Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg added his voice to the criticism of the decision.

"Today’s announcement by the Home Secretary, declaring that the Government will not pursue an inquiry into the so-called Battle of Orgreave will leave the former mining communities in County Durham feeling bitterly disappointed," he said. 

"At the very least, miners and their families deserved answers and an independent inquiry would have led to a search for the truth.

"I feel incredibly frustrated for the people who will now never see justice. A full and proper inquiry was necessary to restore public trust and confidence and I am dismayed that the Home Secretary has failed to establish one."