Martin Walker, 1947-

Martin J Walker was born in 1947 and trained as a graphic designer. He has written books and articles while being an activist, political poster artist, investigator and a researcher.

During the Miners' Strike (1984-1985) He worked for the London Borough of Greenwich as the Advisor to the Police Committee, and head of the Police Committee Support Unit. At this time the London Labour Boroughs, headed by the Greater London Council (GLC), were trying to get some local autonomous control over the Metropolitan police and the Police Committees were set up to try and further this aim. It was the job of the Advisor to think of ways in which the Borough Committee could get the police to act on behalf of the council on a community level.

When the strike began, Martin Walker and a colleague, Susan Miller, offered to advise NUM officials and miners in Yorkshire on the police strategies both nationally and locally. They were eventually invited by Owen Briscoe to work at the headquarters of the Yorkshire NUM. They were given an office and various pieces of equipment and access to the legal workers and the officers in the building. They began advising pickets and taking reports of police behaviour on the various pickets. Walker and Miller gradually built up a picture of the police strategy and were able to brief the pickets before they went. They also interviewed them when they returned. They went on to organise the collection of statements from those who had been arrested. Miners were also trained and given advice on how to help those appearing in court.

Not long into the strike, Walker and Miller published a short volume about the police and the pickets. The Yorkshire NUM paid for the cost of printing and publication and thousands of copies were given out to pickets. A short time later a second volume was also given out to pickets, miners and miners families. Finally, still during the strike Martin and Miller co-wrote a third volume with Jim Coulter, which was combined with the first two and published as State of Siege .

Martin Walker's work on behalf of the miners culminated with two events. Firstly he was invited to speak to all the miners in Yorkshire at local mass meetings about their rights and police tactics. Secondly after the Battle of Orgreave, together with Susan Miller and Jim Coulter, he organised what was one of the largest mass civilian statement takings. His experience with lawyers in London helped him advise the NUM on which lawyers to use in Yorkshire with respect to the various cases.

In January 1985, Walker helped set up the National Organisation for Miners in Prison and Supporters (NOMPAS). NOMPAS mounted a political campaign to release men and women who were imprisoned during the strike. The organisation had a policy-making committee composed of miners and their relatives, which met twice a week. NOMPAS organised some demonstrations and pickets and for a short time published a journal called the Liberator .

After the strike had finished Martin Walker stayed in the coalfields interviewing prisoners and writing A Turn of the Screw; the aftermath of the Miners' Strike .

From the guide to the Martin Walker Papers, 1984-1986, (Labour History Archive and Study Centre)