Jude

Tonight's Newsnight focused on the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster: Victoria Derbyshire, "How could anybody think it could be alright to have a quarter of a mile high slurry - that was notorious for sliding - above a school?" Jeff Edwards, one of the three then 8 year old survivors, "The reason the tips were on there, it was the cheapest land" My view: On 21 October 1966, 144 people died in Aberfan, including 116 children. The tribunal’s finding was unequivocal: blame rested with the National Coal Board. It said the disaster “could and should have been prevented.” Yet no one was prosecuted. Lord Robens, the NCB chairman, offered to resign, but the government refused to accept it. Officials criticised by the tribunal were moved to other work within the Board. The NCB paid £500 for each child killed. The public had raised around £1.75 million to support the bereaved and the village, but the fund was then required to contribute £150,000 towards clearing the remaining tips above Aberfan. That money was not repaid until 1997. So the families were left to live with an avoidable loss, a compensation payment many regarded as derisory, and a long fight for accountability. The inquiry named the institution responsible. But no individual was prosecuted, and even money donated to help the community was used to pay for work that should never have been its burden.