The Government has been accused of prioritising the Orgreave miners over “the minors who suffered horrific exploitation at the hands of grooming gangs”.
Shadow policing minister Matt Vickers told the Commons that “this Labour Government’s union paymasters should not determine the pecking order of justice in this country”.
His comments, which policing minister Dame Diana Johnson branded “extremely distasteful”, came after a public inquiry was announced this week into the violent confrontation at Orgreave during the miners’ strike in 1984.
The inquiry, expected to launch in the autumn, will investigate the events surrounding clashes at the Orgreave Coking Plant in South Yorkshire on June 18 1984, which caused 120 injuries.
In total, 95 picketers were arrested and initially charged with riot and violent disorder, but all charges were later dropped after evidence was discredited.
Meanwhile, last month the Government announced that there will be a full statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, after initially dismissing calls for one.
Responding to the Orgreave inquiry announcement, Tory frontbencher Mr Vickers said: “I note from the Government’s publication that the inquiry will be statutory, with powers to compel individuals to provide information where necessary.
“This sounds remarkably similar to a request we’ve made to the Government, one which was repeatedly rejected.
“The victims and survivors of rape gangs deserve detailed updates on the progress of that inquiry, yet the lack of information about how this new inquiry will be set up and how it will compel evidence leads me to conclude that the Government has prioritised the miners over the minors who suffered horrific exploitation at the hands of rape gangs.
“This Labour Government’s union paymasters should not determine the pecking order of justice in this country.
“There are still perpetrators of child sexual exploitation and those who have covered it up who have gone unpunished.
“And yet this Government has chosen to prioritise this inquiry.”
Mr Vickers also claimed there are “serious questions” about whether the chairman of the inquiry – the Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcock, the Bishop of Sheffield – will be able to “act in a politically neutral and independent manner”.
He asked: “Can the minister assure the House that the inquiry will not be political in nature and that it will listen to the views of all parties present on the day, so that this is not merely an example of the Government putting the interests of the unions ahead of the police?”
Responding, Dame Diana said she was “surprised” by these remarks because “I know the shadow minister is a good man”.
But she added: “I must say to him that I found his comments extremely distasteful and also not accurate or correct.”
Dame Diana told MPs: “Our manifesto commitment was to ensure that there was a thorough investigation or inquiry, that the truth about the events at Orgreave came to light, and that is what we are doing today.”
She added: “He will know that there has been a great deal of work to make sure that the hideous, appalling situations that have been uncovered around the grooming gangs are now going to be dealt with.
“The safeguarding minister has given statements to the House. The Home Secretary has given statements to the House.
“There has been a clear list of the action that is being taken, and it seems to me that that work is absolutely right.
“And of course, under the previous government, when the independent child abuse inquiry was set up, there was support across the House for that work of Professor Alexis Jay.
“It’s just a great pity that the previous government did not actually enact any of the recommendations that Professor Alexis Jay came forward.
“And I think that is a hugely shameful state of affairs that this Government then inherited.
“But I’m absolutely clear that this Government is dealing with grooming gangs and that that is absolutely the right thing to do but, equally, it’s absolutely the right thing to do to set the Orgreave inquiry up today.”
Addressing the issue of the chairman of the inquiry, the minister said: “I was really disappointed again with the remarks about the bishop.
“I think Bishop Pete has previously supported calls for an inquiry and I think it’s important to note that that was in the context of his pastoral role in supporting members of the Diocese of Sheffield, who were impacted by the events at Orgreave.
“And he certainly didn’t show any favour for either the police or the picketers when calling for that inquiry.
“And I don’t think that that call detracts from the necessary credibility, the impartiality and independence that I believe that he will bring to this role as the chair of the inquiry, and I know that he has the backing and the support of the key stakeholders for taking forward that role.”
Dame Diana said she wanted the inquiry to be done “as quickly as possible, but as thoroughly as possible”, adding that a time frame of two years was indicated in early discussions.
This came in response to Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North), who asked for an “idea of roughly how long she expects the inquiry to report”.
The minister added that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has written to all police forces, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing and all Government departments to ask that all material they hold relating to the events of Orgreave be retained.
DUP MP Jim Shannon raised concerns about the “retraumatisation” that elderly retired police officers will “undoubtedly suffer” when asked to recall details of that day in 1984.
Dame Diana said the Bishop of Sheffield will look into what support needs to be in place to help witnesses, whether they be from the police, picketers or their families.
