Midlothian MSP welcomes miners' pardon bill

Members of the NUM miners' union picket line clash with police outside Bilston Glen colliery during the miners strike in June 1984. Four policemen struggle with a picket. Photo by Albert Jordan.

The Miners’ Strike Bill follows an independent review into the impact of policing on Scottish communities during the 1984-85 strike, which recommended the Scottish Government introduce legislation to pardon miners convicted for certain matters .

Following a consultation, the criteria has now been established and sets out that the pardon will be available to people convicted of certain offences and who were participating in strike action.

Mr Beattie said: “This historic new Bill is an important step to pardoning former miners who participated in strike action in the 1980s, standing up for themselves and their communities.

"It will help to heal wounds within our mining community. My constituency has a deep-rooted mining history, and the Bill should help to alleviate some of the impact of Thatcher's crushing of the miners during the terrible injustices seen in 1984/ 5.”