It has been an incredibly inspiring year so far, finally seeing some justice for the families and friends of those 96 football fans who were killed as a direct result of police action at Hillsborough. It was a long wait- 27 years- and while it cannot repair broken hearts and broken lives, it can bring closure to some, and shows, no matter what the odds stacked against you by police, press and government alike- if you fight on, you WILL prevail.

I have long been a supporter of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign and it is time now to raise our voices as one in support of those determined to have the truth about police action that day exposed, and the Thatcher government’s role in it revealed.

If you are not familiar with the campaign, then more information is available here:

http://otjc.org.uk/

but suffice to say, it concerns the events of 18th June 1984 outside Orgreave Coking Plant when a mass picket by striking miners was charged by police on horseback. The stories of police action that day and in the immediate aftermath are blood-curdling; and the lies, deceit and deliberate cover-up in the weeks, months and years to come was the template for Wapping and Hillsborough.

Please support the OTJC.

Our time is now.

My song ‘Summer Fields & Riot Shields’ was written about that day.