Left MP Ian Lavery accused Prime Minister David Cameron of showing the ugly face of the "nasty party" yesterday in a row over Margaret Thatcher's dirty war on the miners.

Mr Cameron arrogantly tossed aside Labour MPs' demands for an apology and full-scale inquiry into the Thatcher government's secret plotting during the 1984-5 miners strike.

The union-hating PM declared that if anyone needed to make an apology for their role in the miners' strike, it should be former miners' union leader Arthur Scargill.

Mr Cameron also lashed out at former Labour leader Neil Kinnock who he said "never condemned" the union's decision not to hold a ballot.

Sneering at Labour's new "justice for the coalfields" campaign, Mr Cameron declared: "There are lessons for Labour to learn. But judging from their performance today, they have not learnt any of them."

Miners' MP Mr Lavery told the Star following the exchanges: "We had the nasty party in 1984-85. And we now have a modern-day nasty, anti-union, anti-worker party at its very worst."

Mr Lavery said Mr Cameron's performance showed the need for the labour and trade union movement to mobilise around Labour's new campaign for an inquiry into Thatcher's onslaught against the miners.

"Even though it was 30 years ago, people need to be held responsible for their actions," he said.

"A previous prime minister and senior Tory ministers deliberately lied and misled Parliament and the people of this country."

Wigan MP Lisa Nandy lit Mr Cameron's anti-union fuse at question time when she spoke of devastation suffered in mining communities, adding: "Thirty years on, they deserve the truth and they deserve an apology."

Earlier Labour shadow minister Michael Dugher sparked off a nasty outburst from Tory Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude.

Barnsley MP Mr Dugher spoke of the continued sense of injustice in former coalfield areas and demanded publication of secret files on government-police collusion - in particular the violent clashes at Orgreave.

Mr Maude snapped back: "I saw at first hand the violence, the intimidation and divided communities in a dispute that took place without a proper ballot being held.

"So you ask for an apology. No!"