Miners’ Strike 1984: Channel 4 Battle for Britain documentary series airs ahead of strike’s 40th anniversary

Channel 4 three part documentary Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain follows the events of the historic strike action, and the controversial response of the police and government.

The series is told through the eyes of those who were directly involved in the industrial dispute four decades ago. Some miners will speak on camera for the first time since the event, and archive footage of the strike and the hardline response of police will also feature.

One of the most notorious days of the strike was June 18 1984 at Orgreave, South Yorkshire. A violent clash broke out between picketers and  South Yorkshire Police and the Metropolitan Police. More than 90 strikers were arrested, but in 2015, decades after the event, a report found that the police forces had used excessive violence, had exaggerated the violence of the miners’, and committed perjury to help prosecute arrested men. 

What was the Miners’ Strike of 1984?

The 1984 Miners’ Strike officially began on March 6 of that year - it ended just shy of a year later on March 3 1985. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), led by Arthur Scargill, with more than 140,000 coal miners downing tools - 5,000 strikers picketed at Orgreave, the only nationally organised action.

In the police response to the strikes, more than 11,000 people were arrested, of whom over 8,000 were charged. 72 MUN members and 51 police were injured, and eight deaths were connected with the strike, including David Jones and Joe Green who died on the picket line, and Welsh taxi driver David Wilkie who was killed when driving a non-striking miner to work.

Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister at the time of the strike, stockpiled coal supplies in anticipation of strike action, before the government announced that 20 collieries would close, with around 20,000 jobs being lost. 

The strike was unsuccessful for the most part - the number of strikebreakers grew as the strike continued as workers had lost their source of income and struggled to survive. The strikers’ demands were not met, although the closure of five pits was postponed.

When is Miners’ Strike 1984 on TV?

The documentary will premiere on Channel 4 on Thursday January 25 at 9pm, with two more episodes airing at the same time weekly. Each episode will be able to watch on Channel 4 online after it has first aired.