Uncut Muammar Gaddafi Interview on Britain's Miners’ Strike and IRA Brighton Attack (1984)

Video Description

On 1 November 1984 ITN’s Terry Lloyd travelled to Tripoli, making multiple attempts across three days to interview Colonel Gaddafi of Libya amidst a series of high-profile scandals tying Libya to Britain across 1984. Firstly, Roger Windsor, CE of the National Union of Mineworkers had travelled to Libya to seek aid for the Miner’s strike, now entering a crucial period in the winter of 1984. Secondly, British press had connected Libya to the IRA Brighton Bombing the month prior. And Finally, the killing of British policewoman Yvonne Fletcher at a protest against the Gaddafi regime in London, leading to an 11-day siege of the Libyan embassy and the severing of diplomatic ties with Libya altogether. At this point in Gaddafi’s tenure, the cultural revolution was well underway with reference to his own political philosophies throughout this interview, surrounding the “state of masses” (Jamahiriya) and purporting direct democracy via revolutionary councils. Yet simultaneously, the intensification of a police state in Libya continued across this period alongside Gaddafi’s cult of personality. Both of which would lead to his violent deposition in 2011. Freshly digitised by ITN’s busy archivists this week, this upload is an unedited document from a particularly fraught period in British politics. 00:00 Introduction 01:40 On the visit from Mr Windsor of the National Union of Mineworkers / on freeing workers 06:00 On providing financial aid to the Miners' Strike 07:00 On the banning of trade unions and strikes in Libya / the "state of masses" 10:20 On supporting the Miners' Strike and workers around the world 11:20 On the right of British Miners to seek support from Libya 12:15 On the murder of Yvonne Fletcher 13:55 Why are you against us? 14:50 On detained British workers in Libya 16:00 On Libya's connection to the Brighton Bombing and the IRA / supporting republicans in Northern Ireland 17:20 On paying and arming the IRA #itnarchive #archivefootage #britishhistory #worldhistory #muammar #gaddafi #colonel #brightonhotelbombing #margaretthatcher #militaryhistory #miners #minersstrike #arthurscargill #lockerbie #tradeunions #ira #irishrepublicanarmy #libya #tripoli #socialism #communism #capitalism To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/film?family=editorial&phrase=%09R011184001* _______ To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/footage/itn 🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel (tap the bell icon and stay up to date with all the latest ITN Archive videos!) - https://www.youtube.com/@ITNArchive 🎥 Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ITNArchive 🎥 Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ITNArchiveITNP 🎥 Check out our TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@itnarchive1955