State of Siege: Miners' Strike, 1984 - Politics and Policing in the Coal Fields by Jim Coulter| Susan Miller| Martin Walker [rare books]

Book Summary –

State of Siege provides a gripping, insider account of the police response during the 1984 UK Miners’ Strike, focusing on how the state mobilized law enforcement as a powerful instrument against striking workers. The book critically examines the deployment of special riot police, paramilitary tactics, and legally dubious arrests targeting miners and their supporters. It explores how pickets were subjected to arrests for loosely defined offenses like “obstructing a police officer” or “breach of the peace,” often without due process or proper judicial oversight . The work discusses orchestrated confrontations like the infamous “Battle of Orgreave,” and documents how police actions appeared to be coordinated with political objectives aimed at breaking union solidarity. The tone is unambiguous: this was not mere crowd control, but enforcement with a purpose—suppressing dissent and empowering state authority during a time of industrial conflict.

About the Authors

Martin J. Walker

A committed activist and investigative writer, Martin Walker helped author State of Siege alongside Susan Miller and striking miner Jim Coulter. His career spans decades of political and social campaigning, focusing on prison reform, police corruption, and the rights of the marginalized. During the Miners’ Strike, Walker and Miller were brought into the National Union of Mineworkers’ Yorkshire headquarters to document and inform miners of their rights regarding police strategy and conduct. These initial efforts evolved into the published book, produced by Canary Press during the strike's heat . Beyond the book, Walker actively supported imprisoned miners, helped establish NOMPAS (National Organisation of Miners in Prison), and continued investigative activism in issues like police vigilantism and wrongful convictions

Susan Miller

While detailed biographical information is more limited, Susan Miller collaborated closely with Martin Walker throughout the strike. Together, they produced early reports—A State of Siege and The Iron Fist—that formed the backbone of the comprehensive volume. Their work was grounded in grassroots activism, legal support, and documenting state overreach during a highly contentious industrial dispute.

Jim Coulter

Jim Coulter was more than an author—he was an active participant in the strike as a miner himself. Brought into the team by Walker and Miller, Coulter contributed lived experience to the documentation, helping articulate the miners' perspective within the rapidly evolving narrative. This collaboration between activists, writers, and a miner resulted in a powerful, authentic chronicle of the strike’s policing and political dynamics