THE Government is being pressed to release “all relevant papers” concerning 37 Cammell Laird workers jailed in 1984 after occupying a gas rig at the yard.

The men took part in the occupation in an effort to stop compulsory redundancies at the Birkenhead shipbuilders.

But they were sacked and sentenced in their absence to 30 days' imprisonment for contempt of court after defying a judge's orders to leave the rig.

In July of 2013, they took the fight to clear their names to the European Parliament, and in December of last year a petition submitted to clear the group’s name was accepted by the petitions committee in Strasbourg.

Now Labour Euro MPs are redoubling their calls for a thorough investigation.

Jude Kirton-Darling, a member of the EP petitions committee, called on the UK Government to release all relevant papers and information "to allow justice for the Laird strikers."

She told MEPs: "In 1984, 37 Cammell Laird shipyard workers were jailed for 30 days and lost their right to redundancy and a pension, as of a result of striking against politically motivated job cuts.

"Last year in the petitions committee, Eddie Marnell, one of the people on strike at Cammell Laird, explained that in spite of the fact no law was broken, the strikers were never told why they were arrested.

"Investigations into historical miscarriages of justice - like the Battle of Orgreave - have shown that, despite denials from the then-Government, secret closure plans existed and Conservative ministers at the time sought to influence police tactics and put pressure on them to escalate industrial disputes.

"Access to official documents is key to ensuring justice for those on the receiving end.”

 Northwest Labour MEP Theresa Griffin said:"It has been 30 years since the Cammell Laird strike and we need to get the information about what actually happened in 1984 and since.

“These strikers took lawful action, but suffered a terrible miscarriage of justice.

"I am convinced European law was contravened and I was delighted when the petitions committee agreed to hear their case last month.

“The committee condemned the UK’s action and has written to the Government urging them to formally apologise to the workers."