Chris Dolan, who wrote a book about the impoverished white community in Barbados and other Caribbean islands who are distantly related to Scots slaves, made the call at the Aye Write! book festival in Glasgow.

Mr Dolan, the author of Redlegs, said: "Although I don't necessarily think apologies are in themselves of much value, I do think in the case of Glasgow a public apology for its connections with slavery would be beneficial.

"The miners were demonised by Margaret Thatcher as the enemy within. We shall remember we came from the bowels of the earth to demand our rights, bloodied but unbowed."

A lone piper played a familiar lament to the memory of the miners who had died in accidents at Monktonhall Colliery during its working life, and to all other miners who lost their lives in mining accidents in the community of Newton Parish. In the driving rain, bunnets and scarves shielded the friends and families of those who had perished.