Former miners who were convicted during the 1984 strike gathered outside Holyrood yesterday ahead of receiving a collective pardon from the Scottish Government.

For merm iners convicted of crimes during the bitter and divisive 1984 strike have welcomed news of a collective pardon from the Scottish Government.

However, those still suffering from the effects of the year-long dispute say the announcement by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf does not go far enough.

There was relief among miners and their families yesterday, but many said they would not celebrate until they received compensation for the loss of their jobs, pensions and even their loved ones.

Sacked west Fife miner Bob Young, 77, said: “It’s fine that convictions are being rubbed off their crime sheets but there were guys who lost their jobs, lost their marriages and committed suicide.

“I welcome the news but I don’t think it should stop there.”

Mr Yo us a ft old the Scottish Parliament hundreds of men convicted of offences relating to the strike would be pardoned in a bid to aid reconciliation.

He said it would recognise that many miners suffered hardship and the loss of their good names in exceptional circumstances.

Legislation will be introduced by the Scottish Government and passed by MSPs in due course.

The news follows a long-running independent inquiry on the policing of communities during the strike, when hundreds were arrested, convicted, sacked and blacklisted. Most had never been convicted of crimes before and have never been since.

“Although the strike took place some 35 years ago, it is clear from conversations I have had with many miners the pain they feel is still very raw to this day,” Mr Yousaf said.

“This collective pardon also applies posthumously and symbolises our desire for truth and reconciliation following decades of hurt, anger and misconceptions which were generated by one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in living memory.”

Mr Young, a former NUM chairman, described many of the convictions as “a pile of nonsense”.

Cathy Mitchell, from Kirkcaldy, whose husband John was blacklisted after losing his job at Frances Colliery, said: “It’s good to hear the slate will be wiped clean but it would mean more if there was compensation.”

John was convicted of obstruction in 1984 and fined £5. She said it resulted in him losing out on £26,000 of redundancy money.

“He was blacklisted and ended up with nothing,” said Cathy.

Tom Adams, who also worked at Frances, said the announcement was recognition that miners had been victimised.

“Once all the miners have been pardoned, then we go for compensation,” he said.

The pardoning has been welcomed by a host of politicians across Scotland’s old mining communities, not least by former first minister Henry McLeish, who led Fife Regional Council during the strike.

“I believe the recommendation is sound because it seeks to overturn injustice perpetrated on a significant number of miners, their families and communities,” he said.

“Fife Regional Council, probably the biggest mining community in Scotland, was heavily involved in helping miners and their families literally survive during the strike.”

He said: “This is a wrong that has been righted in a good day for democracy.”

The outcome of the review by John Scott QC has also been supported by Scotland’s chief constable Iain Livingstone.

“During the miners’ strike, though many officers demonstrated compassion and commitment to public service in challenging circumstances, injustices arose,” he said.

“Discharging our duties with fairness, integrity and respect is vital to the bond of trust between policing the the citizens we serve.”

QUALIFIED WELCOME: Former miners outside the Scottish Parliament before the pardon announcement.