Shrewsbury 24 campaigners in high spirits after Commons vote
Campaigners have said they are hopeful the Shrewsbury 24 convictions dating back more than 40 years will be overturned – possibly this year.
Eileen Turnbull, researcher for the Shrewsbury 24 campaign, said the progress of the case with the Criminal Cases Review Commission means the long-running fight to overturn the convictions "could be done and dusted" this year.
She said: "I'm absolutely confident we are going to have these convictions quashed."
Her comments follow this week's House of Commons debate on the Shrewsbury 24 - a group of construction industry workers who were arrested five months after they went out on strike in 1972. Six were sent to prison, including Ricky Tomlinson, who later became an actor and starred in The Royal Family.
MPs approved a motion on Thursday calling for the release of documents related to the case that have been withheld on the grounds of national security, by 120 votes to three.
Minister Simon Hughes said a Cabinet Office review of four censored documents will take place next year.
He also told MPs the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which is currently deciding whether to send the convictions to the Court of Appeal, will have access to all of the documents.
Campaigners are now seeking clarity on whether the Commons vote calling for the papers to be released as a "matter of urgency" supersedes Mr Hughes' promise that the papers will be reviewed in 2015.
Mr Hughes revealed details of what information has been censored in connection with the trial. In addition to one security service report, the other three pieces of information are single paragraphs that have been redacted from letters and memorandums.
