IN THE 1984 miners’ strike, at first Arthur Scargill and his men had the sympathy and support of the general public (Letters, January 7).

They may well have prevailed but for one simple mistake. Scargill was afraid to call a national strike ballot in case he lost. This resulted in small pockets of miners breaking away from Scargill’s stance, and the resultant friction of miners amongst themselves.

If he’d held his nerve, called a national ballot, and got a ‘yes’ vote, all miners would have stayed loyal and shown solidarity, more respect would have come from other trade unions, and the outcome could have been totally different.

Unfortunately, Scargill’s dealings recently with the NUM suggests his contempt for them, and begs the question whether deep down he ever had the miners interests at heart, or was he using them as part of the Marxist super plan?

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York.

 

• ARTHUR SCARGILL was not someone my father, who had been a coal miner from the age of 14 in Co Durham till he retired, admired.

But the release of the papers about the strike 30 years ago proves that Arthur was right and Mrs Thatcher was lying about the numbers of mines she and her government wanted to close. Mrs Thatcher’s background was almost working class, her parents had a shop, but like the present Conservative government she had no empathy with them. She was right and everyone else was wrong.

I can still picture her saying: “This lady’s not for turning.” She is gone but Mr Scargill does need an apology from David and co.

Mrs M Robinson, Broadway, York.