I have recently joined the Shrewsbury 24 justice campaigners on the steps of Downing Street to hand a petition signed by over 100,000 people to the Prime Minister demanding the release of all official documents relating to the prosecution of the Shrewsbury 24 in 1973.

Despite the passage of forty years the release of the documents are being held in secret at the National Archives on the grounds of “national security”, denying justice to those convicted for nothing more than organising the first ever national strike in the building industry.

The national building strike in 1972 was hugely successful in that unionised workers gained a record pay increase, but more importantly they forced the big construction companies to provide improved health and safety conditions on sites. Continue reading →