By Katie Haseldine
PLANS TO host a Conservative annual meeting at the National Coal Mining Museum have been cancelled due to protests.
The dinner for the Dewsbury Conservative organisation was due to take place at the venue in Overton, near Wakefield, on March 10th next year.
The National Coal Mining Museum. Image: Chris Allen/Geograph.org.uk
However those plans were met with fury from mining organisations who felt the location was inappropriate considering the history of the party and miners during the 80s.
The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, the National Union of Mineworkers, and the Durham Miners Association had all appealed to the National Coal Mining Museum to reconsider holding the dinner at the museum.
As a result of those calls, the decision has now been taken to cancel the event.
A statement from Asparagus Green, the management company for the museum, said: “In light of complaints and comments that have been made by telephone, email and social media platforms, the company’s priority must be to safeguard staff, visitors and the Museum property and to avoid potential public order issues.”
Prior to the cancellation, the people of Dewsbury had told us the were somewhat confused by the decision to host the AGM at the museum.
One man described the Conservatives of having a ‘down right cheek’, by booking the dinner there.
Some were more laidback about the plans, commenting that it had been many years since the miners strike and it was now time to move on.