Democracy

[j.sabourn]

#177... Don't know about getting to leeward Keith, after January 5th. 2016 my wife will then have two steel hips. Will be like the old days when the bunk was right up against the steel shell plating. Hope they don't sweat like the old ships did inside the accommodation. Cheers JS

[Jim Brady]

Brian weren't the mines closed by Wilson done with the approval of the union.Three people killed during the strike TWO of which were striking miners one a taxi driver carrying a miner to work,South Wales.Miners killed one on picket duty run over by a lorry another was hit in the chest by a half brick by a person opposed to the strike but that was not put as the blame eventually his death was put down as being crushed.Taxi driver had slab dropped on taxi from bridge.No matter what is said about it Scargill said Maggie intended closing was it 85 mines Maggie denied this but the mines were closed so was Scargill right.Grimethorpe a thriving community during the time of the mines now the poorest village in the country and amongst the poorest in Europe.This is why the miners went on strike to save their communities,the rest is history.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[gray_marian]

#170, 'Marian as you would expect I completely disagree with you. The Iron Witch's policy on right to buy has led to the housing crisis we have today. When councils sold their properties they were not allowed to use the money to build and replace their stock. The people who gained from this were buy to let and private landlords who charge sky high rents, many becoming millionaires overnight. The took full advantage of the system and of course were and are Tories.

On " union thuggery " I wish you had witnessed the thuggery of Maggie's private army of police during the miners strike.'

No worries on agreeing to differ Louis As to the lack of council housing I'm wondering why in their three term labour stint Blair didn't address that issue? Also Louis any ex council owners selling off their homes to whoever after the obligatory three years was at their own prerogative entirely! Whether they were Labour, Conservative, Liberal or whatever supporters is neither here nor there Louis, but since you raise the matter can you prove your point? As to 'Maggie's private army' that is yours and Scargill's opinion. I was on the other side of two picket lines in 1984 Louis and rest assured that was no picnic either. [That scenario is on another thread, on site somewhere]

[gray_marian]

#182, Mines were closed Jim because they effectively were uneconomical. At that time the International price of coal continued to drop. The British mines were heavily subsidised up to £40.00 a tonne. New mines ie Australia, Columbia, Poland, Indonesia to name a few were able to dig coal and transport it up to 6,000 miles away and land in the UK far cheaper that we could produce at home. Scargill and the unions attitudes were that the mines should be subsidized at any cost to keep the miners employed. No Government Jim could have achieved that. Before the strike, British mines were producing well in excess of a hundred million tonnes per annum. You do the math Jim.

[Captain Kong]

Jim
I have already explained why the Pits were closed,
They were closed by Scargill who refused to allow the maintenance teams to go down to keep the mines open,
The mines collapse, the mines flooded and so they stayed shut./
That is why your Grimethorpe was closed.
BUT as Commie Left wing sympathisers no one can see the Truth ALL PROPAGANDA.
My brother and my mates did not want a strike and did not Vote for a strike but forced out by Scargill and his Commie apes. They never had a Vote,
and however you dress it up , Wilson closed 290 pits, not one left wing commie Pinko complained.
Brian

[Jim Brady]

So it wasn't that it cost £40.00 a ton in subsidies to mine.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Louis the fly]

There is so much I could write on the miners strike but it would be a pointless exercise as opinions are too deeply ingrained.
What I find astonishing is all the anti- union posts from our Tory friends who at one time were card carrying union members themselves and will be receiving their monthly union pension. Strange old world.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Louis I am Not a Tory and never have been
I just want the Truth that is bent on both sides. I never believe what a Politician or a Union Delegate tells me, everyone I have come across was bent and corrupt. I make up my own mind and not follow a Party Line like a sheep.
I never ever got a Union Pension. I started to pay into the NUS and that disappeared with the Union.
another set of Bent Corrupt Exploiters of the Workers.

Tell me Louis, If you stood on the Picket Line in the Miners "strike" [ which it never was, because Miners did not Vote for a Strike]
They had the best conditions and Wages of all the Industries, they had no need to go on strike.
It was the Commies like Scargill who manipulated it to suit their political motives. and everyone was too thick to notice,

What did you actually do all day and all night. How many real Miners did you turn away.?? Were you one of the ones who threatened the Miners that if they don't stop working they will have their wife and kids beaten up and smash up their homes and cars. or did you just stand for one afternoon in the sunshine having a cig with someone you knew.???
Me thinks you were on a different ``Strike`` than up here.
.
If there was Solidarity for a Miners Strike, Why would you need a picket.??? no one else can go down and do the job.

Why would a Miner, go without his Good Wages, have no money to pay his mortgage and feed his family, and go on Strike for NOTHING, while knowing his pit is being flooded, the tunnels collapsing and then no pit to go to, and after the `Strike` only the Dole Office to look forward to, because Scargills pickets including Louis was stopping the Maintenance Men going down to keep them open. , while Scargill drove around in a Chauffeured car on FULL Salary and Expenses. ?????
I cannot believe men can be so Dumb.
No Miner Voted for a Strike. It was illegal.
That Strike affected my family and my mates. They were NOT on strike, they were forced with Violence to be out of work.

[gray_marian]

186, Your reply makes no sense to me whatsoever Jim.... please elaborate.

187, Louis, may i suggest your opinions are just as ingrained I was forced ["in my best interest, hint hint"]into joining the union aged 17. Unions did bu88er all for me Louis. Certainly never joined another when I left the GPO

Reading back over the posts from #170. Brian and I are supplying facts and figures and you Jim & Louis are barely audibile in your response Appears you are both overwhelmed with the true facts and cannot answer?

[Captain Kong]

Some people think that only Tories are Millionaires,
The Labour Party , The Communist Party etc are all full of Millionaires, can anyone tell me what is the Difference??? How many Union Bosses are Millionaires????
All your Labour MPs are millionaires, Corbyn is a Millionaire so is his mate Red Ken Livingstone, who by the way was accused of avoiding £220,000 taxes on a business he owns with his wife. on £!,200,0000 Profit. so a real good Socialist, or is he and all the others Labour Millionaires Closet Tories.????
If a Tory had avoided paying £220,000 tax on his profit the screams would be terrible.
Why do Labour Supporters turn a blind eye to the corruption in the Labour Party but try to expose it in the Tory Party.
They are all at it. No matter who they are. Get wise to yourselves.
Brian