Labour closed more mines than the Tories!

[Bold Seagull]

Another ridiculous myth about Thatcher quelled.

Like the one about the NHS cuts. Thatcher spent more on the NHS than Labour had done. FACT.

But the looney lefties just want someone to blame for their own failures.

Left wing politics never works. It's ideolistic baloney.

Whereas rightwing capitalist politics (and I include Blairs government!) clearly work...

 

[pwlr1966]

What with global warming, they would be in decline anyhow

 

[Boroseagull]

I think you will find that was the Chingford Skinhead (AKA Norman Tebbit) that came out with the On your Bike anecdote - not that I disagree as I actually upped sticks to Aberdeen FFS to chase work back in the 1990's....

Norman Tebbit actually said........He didn't riot. He got on his bike and looked for work and he kept looking until he found it.

Norman Tebbit 15/10/1981
On his father

Category: Unemployment

Tags: Economics, Norman Tebbit, Unemployment

 

[HovaGirl]

Indications at the time suggested a YES vote and the waverers in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire would have fallen into line and accepted the national decision.

WIKIPEDIA:
The issue of whether a ballot was needed for a national strike had been complicated by the actions of previous NUM leader Joe Gormley. When wage reforms were rejected by two national ballots, Gormley declared that each region could decide on these reforms on its own accord; his decisions had been upheld by courts on appeal. Scargill did not call a ballot for national strike action, perhaps due to uncertainty over the outcome. Instead, he attempted to start the strike by allowing each region to call its own strikes, imitating Gormley's strategy over wage reforms; it was argued that 'safe' regions should not be allowed to ballot other regions out of jobs. This decision was upheld by another vote five weeks into the strike.[16] Many miners, especially at the threatened pits, were also opposed to a ballot because of the time required to organise one and the urgency of the situation arising from the accelerated closure programme. There was a fear that strike supporters would refuse to take part in a ballot. Critics point out that Scargill's policy of letting each region decide seemed inconsistent with the threatened expulsion of the Nottinghamshire branch after 20,000 out of 27,000 miners in the county voted against the strike.

And: two miners from Manton, who protested that the strike was not 'official' without a ballot, took the NUM to court. In September [1984] the High Court ruled that the NUM had breached its own constitution by calling a strike without first holding a ballot. Scargill was fined £1,000 (which was paid for him by an anonymous donor), and the NUM was fined £200,000. When the union refused to pay its fine, an order was made to sequestrate the union's assets, but they had already been transferred abroad.

So, whether the strike would have gone ahead is debatable.

 

[HovaGirl]

What with global warming, they would be in decline anyhow

The real collapse of the UK coal mining industry came when electric train engines replaced coal-fired engines. Increased gas and electric central heating in houses would have had an adverse affect on the need for coal, as well.

 

[Stat Brother]

How much state owned industry is left in the world and where?

Somewhat off topic but still on the theme, you might be interested in this weeks Unreported World, Friday chl4 19:30.

There you'll be seeing the comparsion between state owned Basketball v The NBA.

 

[melias shoes]

Ultimately, the person who brought the mining industry to its knees was Arthur Scargill. You can blame Thatcher as much as you like but his action in dividing the union and splitting the support was fatal.
Ego-centric and power crazy, he was his own worst enemy.

 

[melias shoes]

Arr yes, Arthur Scargill, the man who lived in a small house and got the job of running a big Union. By the time he had finished he was running a small Union but lived in a big house.

Apparently though it is only the Tories who are motivated by self interest and are incompetent.

Is the correct answer.

 

[melias shoes]

And then the strike wouldn't have taken place, but Scargill knew that.

Exactly

 

[Questions]

This.

In the early 1980's I worked in an office with a lady in her mid 60's and at the time there was footage of 'King Arthur' addressing a conference in an animated fashion, she said then it was the closest thing to Hitler at Nuremburg that she'd ever seen.

WE ALL, either left, right or middle of the road should be eternally grateful for Thatcher for stopping Scargill, because had he won their conflict I dread to think what state this country would be in today.

Scargill was a godsend to Thatcher but that never stopped her being the **** she was. You still a liberal Ian

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

WIKIPEDIA:
The issue of whether a ballot was needed for a national strike had been complicated by the actions of previous NUM leader Joe Gormley. When wage reforms were rejected by two national ballots, Gormley declared that each region could decide on these reforms on its own accord; his decisions had been upheld by courts on appeal. Scargill did not call a ballot for national strike action, perhaps due to uncertainty over the outcome. Instead, he attempted to start the strike by allowing each region to call its own strikes, imitating Gormley's strategy over wage reforms; it was argued that 'safe' regions should not be allowed to ballot other regions out of jobs. This decision was upheld by another vote five weeks into the strike.[16] Many miners, especially at the threatened pits, were also opposed to a ballot because of the time required to organise one and the urgency of the situation arising from the accelerated closure programme. There was a fear that strike supporters would refuse to take part in a ballot. Critics point out that Scargill's policy of letting each region decide seemed inconsistent with the threatened expulsion of the Nottinghamshire branch after 20,000 out of 27,000 miners in the county voted against the strike.

And: two miners from Manton, who protested that the strike was not 'official' without a ballot, took the NUM to court. In September [1984] the High Court ruled that the NUM had breached its own constitution by calling a strike without first holding a ballot. Scargill was fined £1,000 (which was paid for him by an anonymous donor), and the NUM was fined £200,000. When the union refused to pay its fine, an order was made to sequestrate the union's assets, but they had already been transferred abroad.

So, whether the strike would have gone ahead is debatable.

Nottingham NUM was against a national strike without a ballot but would have fallen into line and accepted the result if a ballot had taken place. As it transpired they formed a new union , the UDM worked in collusion with Government ministers to minimise the risk of industrial action and change working conditions in the run up to privatisation. They ended up with egg on their faces when the Government announced 31 pits where their members worked would close in the early 1990's

 

[Leekbrookgull]

So nothing to do with Thatcher appointing McGregor as Chairman of the NCB after his hatchet jobs at British Leyland and British Steel ?

British Leyland,your having a laugh ?? All those in favour,please show.

 

[clapham_gull]

Another ridiculous myth about Thatcher quelled.

Like the one about the NHS cuts. Thatcher spent more on the NHS than Labour had done. FACT.

But the looney lefties just want someone to blame for their own failures.

Left wing politics never works. It's ideolistic baloney.

Except when they work for you.

Thatcher importing cheap coal subsidised by a Communist regime - you couldn't make it up.