The Miners' Campaign Tapes

They cover the heroic National Union of Mineworkers strike in the face of unprecedented state persecution from 1984 to 1985.

Footage from picket lines, interviews with miners and Labour MPs and some truly inspirational speeches by Arthur Scargill arm viewers with knowledge of the strike and provide an impetus for their own struggles.

The tapes open with interviews with some of the women who made a critical contribution through the Miners' Wives support groups.

Hearing their personal stories of struggle adds weight to the official NUM history of the strike.

Speaking about their support activity, one woman tellingly distinguished between solidarity action and charity. "It is not charity, charity is what rich people give to poor people as a token. This is what working-class people do to help other working-class people," she said.

Addressing the misinformation put forward by the scabrous Sun newspaper at the time of the strike that miners' wives were calling for the men to go back to work, one interviewee says the wives would "eat grass first before they will call on men to go back to work."

Clips of Scargill saluting the wives at mass meetings and the women recalling how families could only buy prescriptions because of strike funds underlines their vital contribution.

It is also heart-warming to see a younger Tony Benn and Dennis Skinner in their prime providing stalwart support for the miners and the latter does a grand job of dismantling the assertions and promises of the Coal Board boss Ian McGregor.

In contrast, current Labour MP Kim Howells is seen forcibly arguing against privatisation of the pits - before he betrays the miners and lurches to right.

Some of the footage from the police attacks on picket lines is brutal with miners complaining of beatings and long bouts of unconsciousness after a truncheon to the head. One woman supporter also reveals threats of rape by police officers.

The tapes are brought to a chilling conclusion with Scargill quoting the famous anti-fascist statement of pastor Niemoller that when the nazis came for him, there was no-one left to defend him. It's a warning which is as relevant today as it was then.