Former miner tackles Owen Smith for 'exploiting' Orgreave as the site for his policy speech

Former miner tackles Owen Smith for ‘exploiting’ Orgreave as the site for his policy speech

Last Updated: July 28, 2016By Mike Sivier

Confrontation: Owen Smith is confronted by John Dunn.

It seems Owen Smith made a(nother) miscalculation, basing his big policy speech at Orgreave, site of confrontation between striking miners and the police in 1984 – because he ran into a confrontation of his own.

As he left the venue, having outlined his 20 policies (13 of which were either directly lifted from his opponent Jeremy Corbyn or were at least partly inspired by him), he was confronted by a former miner.

John Dunn, a Labour Party member for 45 years, said Owen Smith was “shamelessly exploiting” what had happened at Orgreave for his own political ends.

Photos of the incident (such as the image above) show him proudly wearing a t-shirt demanding justice for the miners caught up in the dispute with police there more than 30 years ago.

Mr Dunn described the moment on his Facebook page:

Just back from running Owen Smith out of S Yorks.

So sick of him trying to shamelessly exploit our struggle that I felt compelled to dash off to Orgreave to politely (yes I can do polite!),and, as a striking miner, ask him to stop such shameless opportunism. He tried to tell me about his background in S. Wales so I replied that whilst he was making pharmaceutical companies rich we were struggling for justice and told him that it was disgusting that he would have such shame as to tarnish the defining moment in our strike, and if he was so committed to the Orgreave issue why had he not signed Ian Lavery’s early day motion, to which I got no response whatsoever.

I added that his actions in the PLP coup were no different to the UDM scabs who undermined our strike. He scuttled into his car, wound the window up and wouldn’t speak to me anymore.

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9 Comments

Brian July 28, 2016 at 12:36 am - Reply

Owen Smith meets his better, he’s been done by a plucky John Dunn.
- Jacky Payton July 28, 2016 at 12:15 pm - Reply
  
  Well done John Dunn, it is important to keep Orgreave alive and in the public domain by what ever means possible.
Rusty July 28, 2016 at 12:43 am - Reply

Same tactics as mcginn! Shameless people aren’t they!
peter wyatt (@southerneruk) July 28, 2016 at 7:27 am - Reply

Well done Miner Dunn, we salute you
chriskitcher July 28, 2016 at 8:16 am - Reply

Smith demonstrated the actions of a typical coward. Like the rest of the snakes and backstabbers who lost two elections he is just another PR man.
Roland July 28, 2016 at 8:23 am - Reply

John Dunn hit the nail on the head and Smith ran away
- Robert Goulty July 28, 2016 at 7:53 pm - Reply
  
  If Jeremy Corbyn is supposed to be unelectable because he his weak, then what the hell would Owen Smith be like.
roybeiley July 28, 2016 at 9:10 am - Reply

What do mealymouthed bullies do when confronted head on? Run away like the cowards they are! I dont know how the other rebels view their Superman candidate now?
Bookworm July 28, 2016 at 10:58 am - Reply

Love it! Few politicians can cope when confronted with reality instead of spin.