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They cannot withdraw their labour - the only thing they possess as a bargaining lever — without being accused of setting out to wreck the economy, of challenging the law.

The building employers, by their contempt of the laws governing safety regulations, are guilty of causing the deaths and maiming of workers — yet they are not dealt with by the courts.

Mr Bumble said: ‘The law is an ass.’ If he were here now he might draw the conclusion that the law is quite clearly the instrument of the state to be used in the interests of a tiny minority against the majority.

It is biased, it is class law, and nowhere has that been demonstrated more than in this trial. The very nature of the charges, the delving into ancient Acts of Parliament to dredge up 'conspiracy’ shows this to be so.

Was there conspiracy? Yes, there was, but not by the pickets. The conspiracy began when the miners gave the government a good hiding last year and I hope they do the same again.

It developed when the government was forced to perform legal gymnastics to get five dockers out of prison after having only just put them there. The conspiracy was one between the Home Secretary, the employers and the police.

It was not done with a nod and a wink. It was conceived after pressure from Tory MPs who demanded changes in picketing laws.

There is a very good reason why no police witness said here that he had seen any evidence of conspiracy, unlawful assembly or affray. The question was hovering over the case from the first day: ‘Why no arrests on September 6th?’

That would have led to even more important questions: ‘When was the decision to proceed taken? Where did it corn, from? What instructions were issued to the police, and by whom?

There was your conspiracy.

I am innocent of the charges and I will appeal. But there will be a more important appeal made to the entire trade union movement from this moment on.

Nobody here must think they can walk away from this court and forget what has happened here. Villains or victims, we are all part of something much bigger than this trial.

The working class movement cannot allow this verdict to go unchallenged. It is yet one more step along the road to fascism and I would remind you:

The greatest heroes in Nazi Germany were those who challenged the law when it was used as a political weapon by government acting for a minority of greedy, evil men.

December 1972

Justice for Des Warren
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Des Warren’s speech from the dock
It has been said in this court that this trial had nothing to do with politics. Among the 10 million trade unionists in this country I doubt if you will find one who would agree with that statement. It is a fact of life - entirely due to Acts of Parliament – every strike which takes place is regarded as a political act. It therefore follows that every action taken in furtherance of an industrial dispute also becomes a political act. There are even those who describe as a challenge to the law of the land, the action of men who decide not to work beyond the agreed number of hours in the working week and who ban overtime. This is something not of the making of the trade unions. Politically motivated interference by governments acting on behalf of and under political pressure from employers, now means that no trade unionist can enter freely into negotiations with employers.
They cannot withdraw their labour - the only thing they possess as a bargaining lever — without being accused of setting out to wreck the economy, of challenging the law. The building employers, by their contempt of the laws governing safety regulations, are guilty of causing the deaths and maiming of workers — yet they are not dealt with by the courts. Mr Bumble said: ‘The law is an ass.’ If he were here now he might draw the conclusion that the law is quite clearly the instrument of the state to be used in the interests of a tiny minority against the majority. It is biased, it is class law, and nowhere has that been demonstrated more than in this trial. The very nature of the charges, the delving into ancient Acts of Parliament to dredge up 'conspiracy’ shows this to be so. Was there conspiracy? Yes, there was, but not by the pickets. The conspiracy began when the miners gave the government a good hiding last year and I hope they do the same again. It developed when the government was forced to perform legal gymnastics to get five dockers out of prison after having only just put them there. The conspiracy was one between the Home Secretary, the employers and the police. It was not done with a nod and a wink. It was conceived after pressure from Tory MPs who demanded changes in picketing laws. There is a very good reason why no police witness said here that he had seen any evidence of conspiracy, unlawful assembly or affray. The question was hovering over the case from the first day: ‘Why no arrests on September 6th?’ That would have led to even more important questions: ‘When was the decision to proceed taken? Where did it corn, from? What instructions were issued to the police, and by whom? There was your conspiracy. I am innocent of the charges and I will appeal. But there will be a more important appeal made to the entire trade union movement from this moment on. Nobody here must think they can walk away from this court and forget what has happened here. Villains or victims, we are all part of something much bigger than this trial. The working class movement cannot allow this verdict to go unchallenged. It is yet one more step along the road to fascism and I would remind you: The greatest heroes in Nazi Germany were those who challenged the law when it was used as a political weapon by government acting for a minority of greedy, evil men. December 1972
picture: Wigan-to-London march

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