A NEW book has chronicled the fight for justice in a powerful and moving account of the Scottish miners' struggle during the 1984-85 strike.

Organised around the heartfelt oral testimonies of 30 former strikers and their families, recorded primarily during the 2021-22 pardons campaign, Coalfield Justice: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Scotland provides an in-depth examination of the hardships endured on picket lines and within the communities these miners sought to protect.

This analysis by Jim Phillips delves into the interplay between history and policy in devolved Scotland, detailing the campaign for restorative justice that culminated in the Scottish Parliament’s historic collective and posthumous pardon for those convicted of public-order offences during the strike.

Authored by a leading authority on the strike in Scotland, whose previous publications and evidence significantly influenced the Scottish government and MSPs, this book offers a unique insider perspective.

It showcases how the National Coal Board, police and courts acted in concert with Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government to suppress union voices and shutter unprofitable pits in preparation for privatisation.

In June 2022, the Scottish Parliament passed The Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Act, recognising the severe injustices faced by Scottish strikers. This landmark legislation was a direct result of the compelling testimonies and relentless campaign efforts documented in this book.

Through vivid oral histories and rigorous analysis, Coalfield Justice: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Scotland not only recounts the injustices of the past but also celebrates the triumph of securing justice for the wronged.

Jim Phillips is Professor in Economic & Social History at the University of Glasgow.

He is the author of Scottish Coal Miners in the Twentieth Century (Edinburgh University Press, 2019) and co-author of Deindustrialisation and the Moral Economy since 1955 (Edinburgh University Press, 2021) with Valerie Wright and Jim Tomlinson.

Coalfield Justice: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Scotland publishes in August by Edinburgh University Press and costs £14.99 for paperback.

You can pre-order here.

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