A NEW ‘landmark’ Bill to pardon former miners convicted of offences relating to strike action in the 1980s “could have went further and took that bigger step to quashed a lot of convictions”, according to a Cumnock councillor.

Jim McMahon, SNP councillor for Cumnock and New Cumnock – and an ex-miner himself – was responding to The Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Bill, which was recently published following an independent review into the impact of policing on Scottish communities during the 1984-85 strike.

The review recommended the Scottish Government introduce legislation to pardon miners convicted for certain matters related to the strike, subject to establishing suitable criteria.

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

However, the Bill does not cast doubt on decisions made by courts at the time and does not quash convictions.

Mr McMahon said: “I’m obviously disappointed. A lot of them [convictions] were orchestrated, not just by the government but by the police.

“I had experience witnessing it first hand on picket lines where the police were looking for a reaction. They would taunt and torment you.

“All these things were orchestrated for miners to react. Some reacted differently to others but they were driven to react and some did.

Cumnock Chronicle:

“I was on pickets two or three times a week, sometimes more, and there was always a potential that you were going to be arrested. Some serious offences we know of... I cannot condone them, not then or now.

“There can’t be pardons for those types of offences in my view but for the less serious ones, I think they should have been quashed across the board.”

He added: “The Bill does recognise the hardships and the disproportionate impact it had on miners’ lives and to a certain extent, posthumous pardons will go some way to providing some sort of closure.

“I would’ve much preferred to see convictions quashed and I think there were opportunities to do that.”

Commenting on the Bill, Justice Secretary Keith Brown, said: “A collective pardon will restore dignity to those convicted, provide comfort to their families and, I hope, will bring closure to the sense of injustice members of mining communities may feel.

“I am determined to make swift progress on this matter, given the passage of time since 1984-85, which is why we have acted quickly to bring forward and publish this landmark new Bill.”