Margaret Thatcher on Union Negotations and Kinnock

Union negotiations had the disadvantage of naturally discouraging a return to work: few would risk going back if a settlement seemed to be in the offing. Pit closures were assessed to see if it was possible to not close ‘any based on being beneficially developed’. Such a scenario would be a victory for Scargill. A sign of the militants’ frustration was an increase in violence against working miners and their families. There was a ‘Miner’s Wives Back to Work’ Campaign. There were legal battles against the NUM by two Yorkshire miners. There were fines placed on Scargill. The NUM visited Libya and made a personal appeal to Colonel Gaddafi for his support. Gaddafi made a donation to the NUM. There was an offer of a Christmas bonus. People began to return to work in November and December. Some miners were killed by the union. Thatcher makes no mention of police brutality.

NUM funds were being transferred abroad. The NUM board of trustees underwent legal action. In February the resumption of talks slowed the returning of workers. The NUM leadership were trying to evade the misery they had caused. Large numbers of miners began to head back to work. The strike finally had ended. British coal industry was not immune to economic forces, which applied elsewhere in both the public and private sectors. In spite of heavy investment, British coal has proved unable to compete on world markets and as a result the British cola industry. Marxists want to defy the laws of the land and the laws of economics…they failed as usual, according to Thatcher.

On Neil Kinnock
Became Labour Party Leader in October of 1983. He was a gifted orator but he was verbose, failed to master facts and technical arguments and lacked intellectual clarity. He used speeches designed to hide his Leftist union agenda.

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