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Labour challenges Cameron over release of Thatcher archive papers Labour challenges Cameron over release of Thatcher archive papers
(7 months later)
David Cameron is fuelling suspicions that he wants to prevent proper scrutiny of the “danger years” of Margaret Thatcher’s government after the number of Downing Street papers from the mid-1980s released under an official scheme fell by 90%, Andy Burnham has said.David Cameron is fuelling suspicions that he wants to prevent proper scrutiny of the “danger years” of Margaret Thatcher’s government after the number of Downing Street papers from the mid-1980s released under an official scheme fell by 90%, Andy Burnham has said.
The shadow home secretary said the prime minister appeared to be placing barriers in the way of studying a “divisive period” in British politics which included the aftermath of the miners’ strike and the preparations for the poll tax.The shadow home secretary said the prime minister appeared to be placing barriers in the way of studying a “divisive period” in British politics which included the aftermath of the miners’ strike and the preparations for the poll tax.
Burnham spoke out after the House of Commons library confirmed a fall in the number of Downing Street papers released last December under the official 20-30 year rule system. The library confirmed that 58 papers from Thatcher’s office from 1986-88 were released in December 2015 compared with around 500 papers from Downing Street and the Cabinet Office released in every previous December since 2010.Burnham spoke out after the House of Commons library confirmed a fall in the number of Downing Street papers released last December under the official 20-30 year rule system. The library confirmed that 58 papers from Thatcher’s office from 1986-88 were released in December 2015 compared with around 500 papers from Downing Street and the Cabinet Office released in every previous December since 2010.
Burnham told the Guardian: “David Cameron came in and promised he would lead the most transparent government ever. That promise lies in tatters today. People will be deeply suspicious that he is drawing the curtain over the danger years of the Thatcher government when the Tory party was at war with many groups of people across our country.Burnham told the Guardian: “David Cameron came in and promised he would lead the most transparent government ever. That promise lies in tatters today. People will be deeply suspicious that he is drawing the curtain over the danger years of the Thatcher government when the Tory party was at war with many groups of people across our country.
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“There are people today still campaigning for truth and justice relating to that divisive period in our country’s history. The actions of this government are putting yet more barriers in their way.”“There are people today still campaigning for truth and justice relating to that divisive period in our country’s history. The actions of this government are putting yet more barriers in their way.”
Burnham said the prime minister risked giving the impression that he was trying to prevent disclosures about the Thatcher government during the late prime minister’s controversial final years in No 10.Burnham said the prime minister risked giving the impression that he was trying to prevent disclosures about the Thatcher government during the late prime minister’s controversial final years in No 10.
Thatcher was criticised for being a divisive leader during the 1984-85 miners’ strike, when she warned of the “enemy within”, and for losing touch with voters when her government introduced the poll tax, which was levied on individuals and took no account of the value of their property. The poll tax played a part in the downfall of Thatcher and was scrapped by John Major after he succeeded her in 1990.Thatcher was criticised for being a divisive leader during the 1984-85 miners’ strike, when she warned of the “enemy within”, and for losing touch with voters when her government introduced the poll tax, which was levied on individuals and took no account of the value of their property. The poll tax played a part in the downfall of Thatcher and was scrapped by John Major after he succeeded her in 1990.
Burnham said: “There were a whole series of issues from the mid-1980s onwards that remain highly controversial and highly contested – from the miners’ strike and its aftermath to the piloting of the poll tax to the development of the football supporters’ ID card scheme.”Burnham said: “There were a whole series of issues from the mid-1980s onwards that remain highly controversial and highly contested – from the miners’ strike and its aftermath to the piloting of the poll tax to the development of the football supporters’ ID card scheme.”
Cameron is unlikely to feature in any government papers from the period because he had a party political role when he first started working at Conservative central office in the final years of Thatcher’s term in office. But Oliver Letwin, the cabinet’s current policy chief, and John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, both served in Downing Street under Thatcher.Cameron is unlikely to feature in any government papers from the period because he had a party political role when he first started working at Conservative central office in the final years of Thatcher’s term in office. But Oliver Letwin, the cabinet’s current policy chief, and John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, both served in Downing Street under Thatcher.
Letwin apologised in December after the papers from 1985 revealed he had challenged cabinet calls for assistance for black youths in the wake of inner city riots on the grounds that money would end up in the “disco and drug trade”.Letwin apologised in December after the papers from 1985 revealed he had challenged cabinet calls for assistance for black youths in the wake of inner city riots on the grounds that money would end up in the “disco and drug trade”.
Burnham will highlight the government’s apparent reluctance to release cabinet papers at a seminar he is hosting at Westminster on 9 February, which is designed to highlight the dangers of official secrecy.Burnham will highlight the government’s apparent reluctance to release cabinet papers at a seminar he is hosting at Westminster on 9 February, which is designed to highlight the dangers of official secrecy.
The seminar will be attended by representatives from the Hillsborough campaign, the Stephen Lawrence campaign, the Orgreave Truth and Justice campaign, which is campaigning against what it describes as police lies during the miners’ strike, and the Shrewsbury 24 campaign, which is campaigning for the quashing of the convictions of construction worker pickets, including the actor Ricky Tomlinson, from the 1970s.The seminar will be attended by representatives from the Hillsborough campaign, the Stephen Lawrence campaign, the Orgreave Truth and Justice campaign, which is campaigning against what it describes as police lies during the miners’ strike, and the Shrewsbury 24 campaign, which is campaigning for the quashing of the convictions of construction worker pickets, including the actor Ricky Tomlinson, from the 1970s.
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Burnham said: “There were a whole series of issues that caused social strife and are still live campaigns today. That is why I am bringing those people still campaigning against historical injustice together so that we can identify those barriers to them finally achieving truth and justice. This apparent selective application of the release of cabinet papers is an issue that is hindering their efforts.”Burnham said: “There were a whole series of issues that caused social strife and are still live campaigns today. That is why I am bringing those people still campaigning against historical injustice together so that we can identify those barriers to them finally achieving truth and justice. This apparent selective application of the release of cabinet papers is an issue that is hindering their efforts.”
The government has admitted that it “fell short” when so few Downing Street papers were released in December. But it blamed the fall on the new system under which official papers are due to be released after 20 years. Previously they were released after 30 years. There is a 10-year transition period covering the years between 1984-2001 when two years’ worth of papers are released at once to achieve the 20 years release target.The government has admitted that it “fell short” when so few Downing Street papers were released in December. But it blamed the fall on the new system under which official papers are due to be released after 20 years. Previously they were released after 30 years. There is a 10-year transition period covering the years between 1984-2001 when two years’ worth of papers are released at once to achieve the 20 years release target.
The Cabinet Office will soon be transferring more papers to the National Archives in Kew, south-west London, to allow more to be released this year. This will mean that papers up to 1990 will be released by December.The Cabinet Office will soon be transferring more papers to the National Archives in Kew, south-west London, to allow more to be released this year. This will mean that papers up to 1990 will be released by December.
All government papers have to be checked in Whitehall – to see if they need to be redacted or withdrawn on national security grounds – before they are transferred to Kew. The change in the release date from 20 to 30 years, combined with a move to releasing documents throughout the year, meant the system has “not been perfect”, according to the Cabinet Office minister Rob Wilson.All government papers have to be checked in Whitehall – to see if they need to be redacted or withdrawn on national security grounds – before they are transferred to Kew. The change in the release date from 20 to 30 years, combined with a move to releasing documents throughout the year, meant the system has “not been perfect”, according to the Cabinet Office minister Rob Wilson.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “The Cabinet Office is working with the National Archives to update the entire process of how and when we release files. We are working towards releasing files after 20 years, rather than 30 years and files will be released more frequently throughout the year, rather than a single annual event. We are committed to being the most transparent government ever.”A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “The Cabinet Office is working with the National Archives to update the entire process of how and when we release files. We are working towards releasing files after 20 years, rather than 30 years and files will be released more frequently throughout the year, rather than a single annual event. We are committed to being the most transparent government ever.”