Miners Strike 1984 Documents Reveal Government Deceit
In 2014 secret documents and cabinet papers were released 30 years after the miners strike. So what did they reveal. Below are a few examples:-
One of the documents from September 1983 highlights a note showing that Ministers were considering the closure of 75 pits. (Hold on a mo during the 1984/85 strike the witch constantly insisted 'only' 20 were going to close.) It clarifies that miners, the public and Parliament were misled; in other words lied to. and shows that Scargill was telling the truth about the document he was sent regarding the closure of 70 pits.
The document from September 1983 is marked 'Not to be photocopied or circulated outside the private office'. It records a meeting of just 7 people in Downing Street; those present were the witch, the Chancellor, the Energy and Employment Secretary's and it seems the minutes were recorded by someone called Lillian. Those present were told that 'The pit closure programme had gone better this year than expected as one pit had been closed every 3 weeks resulting in the workforce shrinking by 10%' MacGregor wanted to go further and close a further75 pits; reducing manpower from it's current figure of 202,000 to 138,000. However, it was decided that no closure list should be provided and they should be closed on a pit by pit basis (wonder why). They were told that as a result two thirds of Welsh miners would be made redundant; half in the North East; a third in Scotland; half in South Yorkshire and half in the South Midlands. The entire Kent coalfield would be wiped out (Oh! that's why). The last paragraph states 'It was agreed that no record of this meeting should be circulated'. The next week it was requested that the same small group should meet regularly but 'Nothing should but put in writing to clarify the strategy between MacGregor and the Energy Secretary. (Thought the witch was keeping out of it and it was a matter between the NCB and NUM).
During the strike the NCB and the NUM had settled the dispute on 5 separate occasions until the witch intervened. Three of those are discussed in the released documents. Two relate to the dock strikes in July and August 1984 and as a result the witch started to prepare for a State of Emergency because of the fear of not being able to land enough imported coal and food. She even considered using troops to unload and move goods from the docks. The documents refer to a secret poll that states 71% of the public were against it. No indication as to who undertook the poll though. Norman Tebbit wrote a 'secret and personal letter' to the witch stating 'Time was not on their side and urged that urgent measures should be taken because secret estimates show that coal stocks would run out by January. He wanted her to 'Open up new fronts against the NUR and ASLEF because they are reducing the movement of coal and coke'. He also wanted her to take out legal injunctions against the rail unions and to settle the dock strike.
The next moment when the witch stared into the abyss occurred in October 1984 when NACODS voted by 82% to take strike action'; in effect shutting down the whole coal industry. A secret list of worst case scenarios was presented to her; these included a 3 day week (ouch she must have thought as it brought back memories of Ted Heath and 1974). Deals were done with the NCB, NACODS and the NUM. Then for no apparent reason NACODS withdrew the threat. I have not seen anything in the released papers to say why but I suppose like most NUM miners I could hazard a guess.
Other important issues from the time show that the Home Secretary Leon Brittain was ordered to get chief constables 'To adopt a more vigorous interpretation of their duties'. (We all witnessed some of that). They also bemoaned the fact that magistrates 'Were dragging their feet in processing those arrested'. Does anyone remember David Hart aka the Blue Pimpernel. He was an old Etonian who organised and funded the working miners anti strike movement. The personal diary of the witch shows he had 3 secret meetings with her. He told her he was 'Infinitely deniable'. (no idea) With regards to the well publicised back to work campaign the documents show it was 'No more than a trickle' in the first 6 months with no more than 500 going back in July 1984.
For those of us that were described as 'The Enemy Within' it is interesting that in October 1984 the witch was going to take it further and extend the charge of seditious insurrection not just to miners and left wing councils in Liverpool and London for resisting cuts in services but also against the whole Labour movement. Remember that's bordering on treason and is still a hanging offence in Britain. Rather bizarrely Kinnock was earmarked to be called a puppet to Scargill. I don't know about you guys but I don't mind be called the enemy but I don't want him in there with me. We were all going to be described as 'Enemies of Democracy'. However, the publication of her private papers show that this was dropped from her speech at the Tory conference. The reason it was suddenly removed and was deemed too divisive was because of the IRA bomb on her Brighton hotel in October 1984. Now then lads steady on I know what you thinking
Recall the Labour Party conference 1982 Scargill told everyone what Thatcher and Hesaltine had planned and the numbers of productive working pits they planned to close. He was ridiculed as a scaremongerer and lefty leaning trouble maker by the BBC and right wing press. At the time Thatcher was asked about the stockpile she had accumulated and told the reporters in no uncertain terms “ it’s not the only thing in England which will burn” she was pure evil and I for one remember through personal experience as an 11 year old how she organised and used the plods as a personal battering ram against striking miners and their families who were fighting for their livelihood and futures. She decimated communities some still to this day feeling the effects of her actions. If there is any justice then Satan is toasting her on a daily basis in the pits of hell where she rightly belongs.
Thatcher lied through her teeth so did NACODS
People called Scargill but he was right in everything he said
