Westminster Hall Debate 2015
Labour MP Steve Rotheram and Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham lead a comprehensive debate in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 9th December. The two MP’s spoke passionately on behalf of our campaign requesting the government to release all the files relating to the charges, trials, and convictions of the the Shrewsbury Pickets in 1973/4.
The debate was called in response to Oliver Letwin MP’s announcement that the cabinet have reviewed the withheld documents and decided not to release them to the national archives at Kew for public scrutiny. The next scheduled review will be in 2021.
Steve accused the government of cynically delaying the release of the papers so as the remaining pickets die before the truth of government interference in the trials is exposed and the pickets receive the justice they deserve. He stated that,
The Government say that they have only withheld 3 letters and – a security services report. We believe that there is much, much more than that on file.
He read out a list of documents which our campaign maintains exist in the cabinet archives. He called upon the government in the interest of natural justice to release them now.
Andy Burnham made a spectacular speech; he went through some of the documents which have been unearthed by the researcher of the campaign. He stated that:
This series of documents puts beyond any reasonable doubt that fact that the Shrewsbury trial was politically-driven by the Home Secretary of the day.
I put it to the Minister that the continuing failure to disclose will lead people to conclude it has less to do with national security and more to do with the potential for political embarrassment were what happened back then to become more widely known.
If the Minister disputes that, I say simply this: clear it up once and for all; let the truth speak for itself; publish all the documents.
Watch the debate
Andy Burnham’s speech starts at 15:21:00. This video is embedded from parliamentlive.tv.
The transcript can be read in Hansard.
Press coverage
Spies Rigged Shrewsbury Pickets Trial – Morning Star
MPs debate the Shrewsbury 24 case – Politics live – The Guardian
Living with the consequences of the 1972 national building workers’ strike – The Guardian
Burnham backs call to publish all Shrewsbury 24 papers – The Gurdian
Tories must come clean on Shrewsbury 24 ‘show trial’ or Labour may oppose spy powers – Russia Today
Shrewsbury 24: Government rejects calls to release files – BBC
Labour ‘wants Shrewsbury 24 papers published in return for spy powers support’ – Shropshire Star
National security – ‘My arse’ – UCATT
Shrewsbury 24 ‘establishment cover-up’ needs to be exposed, says Unite – Unite
Conspiracy and cover up – UniteLive
Some feedback on Twitter
Wrote this during the height of Thatcherism & after today’s decision re @Shrewsbury24C still as relevant as ever https://t.co/WTZnEIH2ru
— TheFarm/PeterHooton (@TheFarm_Peter) December 9, 2015
Shrewsbury 24 ‘establishment cover-up’ needs to be exposed, says Unite – https://t.co/6cW1ISS2A0 @Shrewsbury24C pic.twitter.com/d3SM5XTu6t
— Unite the union (@unitetheunion) December 10, 2015
@DaveBlacklist @ianpuddick @Shrewsbury24C @BBCNews this was a clear case of surveillance being used to black list and penalize workers
— welladriansays (@welladriansays) December 10, 2015
‘If this was a boxing match it would have been stopped by the referee. They got battered.’ Ricky Tomlinson on #Shrewsbury24. #r4pm
— BathLabour (@BathLabourParty) December 9, 2015
Well done once more @Channel4News Such time & perseverance to spotlight @Shrewsbury24C and another added to Britains long & sad list #JFT96
— Love is all you need (@lovelifewhy) December 9, 2015
The Tory shame. The Shrewsbury 24 were framed by Heath’s government https://t.co/iaE6waSz0p #Shrewsbury24 #pickets
— UCATT (@UCATTunion) December 9, 2015
@Shrewsbury24C this is so wrong & all these years later still no justice we want a transparent # Gov #GiveJusticeback ✌️
— Michelle (@wavemich43) December 9, 2015
@Shrewsbury24C & @orgreavejustice have so much in common. State intervention to control unions, evidence fabricated, documents gone astray..
— Chris Peace (@cpeace313) December 9, 2015