Police evidence will be ready to present if Orgreave inquiry happens

He steps down in early May after almost a decade in the role overseeing South Yorkshire Police and has revealed both the support he got from Theresa May, when she served as Home Secretary, to the rejection of any state inquiry by Amber Rudd, who succeeded her.

Yet he remains hopeful there may be some positive action, should a Labour government take power after the general election, which is now only months away.

He said deputy leader Angela Raynor had confirmed Labour would “look at some kind of inquiry”.

He has been working with South Yorkshire Police to ensure their full archive of relevant material is available, should a hearing be called.

That has entailed employing a professional archivist, with full searches of police property across the county to locate documents an other evidence, including photographs, videos and newspaper cuttings.

They are being digitised and, where needed, redacted so documents like medical records can be seen without compromising the privacy of those involved.

Mr Billings said if an inquiry did happen: “We would have the archive ready for them.

“I am sorry it has not happened in my time.”

He added that he would not want to see a ‘forever’ inquiry, over an extended timescale.

The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign been campaigning for years to get answers to what happened in 1984, when many picketing miners were injured at Orgreave and some charged with serious offences, all subsequently dropped at court.