A public inquiry is to examine the events surrounding the so-called "Battle of Orgreave" – where over 100 striking miners and police were injured in violent clashes and, later, criminal charges against 95 miners were dropped amid allegations of police falsifying evidence.

Still one of the most contentious episodes in modern British history, what happened on 18 June 1984 "cast a shadow over communities in Yorkshire and other mining areas", said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

What happened in June 1984?
About three months into a major strike over coalpit closures, 8,000 striking miners assembled for a mass picket at the Orgreave coking plant near Sheffield. They were met by 6,000 police officers from forces nationwide, led by South Yorkshire Police.

Things quickly turned violent. Miners threw stones, and the police charged on horseback and hit miners with truncheons. Police snatch squads used batons and short shields – the "first time they had ever been used on the UK mainland", said The Guardian – and many miners were arrested.

"It wasn't frightening to start off with," Chris Skidmore, an "Orgreave veteran" turned campaigner told Sky News, "but then what I noticed was the amount of police officers who had no identification numbers on. It all felt planned." 

Why is this being revisited now?
South Yorkshire Police paid out more than £400,000 in compensation to some accused miners and their families in 1990, without any admission of wrongdoing. No police officer was disciplined, and the events of the day, and its aftermath, were never officially scrutinised.

The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign was then formed in 2012 by ex-miners and trade unionists to expose, they said, "police violence, lies and cover-ups" surrounding the events of 18 June.

What's the reaction to the announcement?
John Dunn, from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, said he hoped the inquiry will get to the truth of what happened. "How did 6,000 police know to be waiting in full riot gear, and why were they given instructions to run rampant through innocent people?"

But police in South Yorkshire have reacted less optimistically. "The associated costs of this inquiry will lead to there being even less money in the policing purse, which will only have a negative impact on the public," said South Yorkshire Police Federation chair Steve Kent.

As the summer rolls on, there is "nowhere better to soak it all in" than a pub on the water, said The i Paper. With their "waterside charm", these picturesque spots greet you with the "calm of flowing water" and "the clink of cold pints": perfect for these long days that "call for life at a slower pace".

The Meikleour Arms, Perth and Kinross
Right beside the River Tay, this "grand yet relaxed country inn" is an hour from Edinburgh and offers "estate-sourced food and excellent whisky", all while honouring its "Franco-Scottish heritage". 

The Chain Locker, Falmouth
The "old bones of the 17th-century sailors' drinking den" can still be seen in this pub overlooking the estuary of the River Fal, said The Telegraph. Its "stone fireplace and the flagstone walls" point to its history. It also offers a "good selection of pub classics" that make for a "good range of favourites" characterised with "rich flavours and hearty portions".

The Dove, Hammersmith
This record-breaking pub, featuring a "beer garden that backs directly onto the River Thames", is "a win any time of the year", said Time Out. The Dove embodies the "old-meets-new theme" with its low 18th-century beams and wooden panelling, and a contemporary "greenery-dappled conservatory". 

The Inn at Whitewell, Lancashire
The natural scenery of this waterside pub is what makes it unique, offering views of an "idyllic bend" in the Hodder and also a panorama of the fells of the Forest of Bowland.

Pandora Inn, Cornwall
Recently renovated and reopened in March of this year, this "popular Cornish riverside pub" overlooks the Restronguet Creek and features an "on-the-water pontoon beer garden", said Cornwall Live.

UK parliament is falling down. Doing nothing is not an option
Rosa Prince on Bloomberg
"Fixing the crumbling, mouse-infested, fake-gothic palace that hosts the nation's politicians" isn't top of the country's priority list, writes Rosa Prince. But MPs must soon decide to shore up "their decrepit workplace" because, "as pipes break, wires fry" and masonry crashes to the ground, "it's a wonder no one's been killed". It'll be challenging, though, to persuade voters, "tired" of being told there's no money, that this "multibillion-pound repair job" is necessary.

JD Vance is holidaying in the Cotswolds – strange choice for an anti-elitist politician
James Ball in The i Paper
Donald Trump's vice president "likes to present himself as an American everyman who overcame rural poverty" and is "infuriated by elites", writes James Ball. But the news that he's vacationing in Britain's Cotswolds means he shares "his holiday aesthetic" with the "elites he claims to so despise". It is "hard to wage a class war when both sides are turning up in the same Barbour jackets and drinking identical artisanal ciders".

Why I'll never throw a party again
Caitlin Moran in The Times
Our children "cannot understand" why I "don't throw parties", writes Caitlin Moran. It's partly "down to temperament" but it's also, "of course", about age. "Young people need parties" to make new friends and have new ideas, whereas older people have "made all the friends we can handle" and are "too tired for new ideas". Also, "by the time you hit 50", quite a few of your friends "actively hate each other".