I think the point many were making was if Scargill had the miners best interests at heart and not his own and the unions, the first paragraph you wrote probably wouldn't have occurred.
I don't think anyone is portraying Maggie in any good light, but the bad light that colours this whole period on British history also reflects badly on Scargill equally.
There were thugs lined up in the strike like there were thugs lined up in the ranks of the police.
A terrible time in our history, sadly the ones who still suffer the most are the largely honest ranks of the miners who just wanted to work and support their families and communities, many of which are still decemated now.

I know the bloke that wrote that for the are you stupid enough to think she wrote it
he claims to be a socalist but a pay day is a pay day.
this woman sold of our assets like gas oil etc.etc. Denis did ok out of it
thats enough about R.L.

Some people are speaking as if the only legacy Thatcher left was the destruction of the coal industry. That was just one element of a completely disastrous tenure. The only reason she kept on getting voted in was the fact most of the general public are idiots, in tandem with a very right wing press and a perceived unelectable Labour opposition. And Vasty whilst you make some fair points, I find it odd that you would use them in the manner and context you have. I'm with Devils on this, i've got the Prosecco chilling in the fridge as we speak

I've held back ,I don't know how many of you were involved in the strike,I was,for the full 12 months and proud of it.I wouldn't have changed it for anything.Arthur Scargills views were correct and predictions came true .if it wasn't for all other spineless unions and SCABS,we wouldn't have a non productive country held to ransom by every bugger else.I still work underground and the strike still hurts and scabs still named.As for that bitch Thatcher,I save a days leave every year ,hoping and praying that she dies so I can get hammered and dance on her grave,hopefully she has a slow painful one.

don't know much about any of that mate. all i do know is anywhere in the world the only 2 british primeministers anyone would be able to name is thatcher and churchill and i am told she was voted in 3 times, once after the strike. this seems to figure that she can't have done a bad job.

It's called being blinkered.look at us now 26 yrs on.what have we got to show?nothing.Mining,steel,docks all manual and skilled work gone.all we are good at it sat in offices staring out of the windows getting old before our time waiting for the world to stop turning at 5oclock coming home thinking they've done a days work.............yes I'm still bitter and when her name is mentioned it brings it all flooding back.that's my rant over.Goodnight.

i'd agree with that mate. you can only sell so many burgers and shuffle so much paper. someone at the end of the day has to produce something to create wealth

Good analogy. Any idea who the most well known German leader is?

My family wasn't directly involved with the strike but my dad ran a company making mining machinery and I remember the time very well, even though I was only about 9 or 10 year old. To say that the whole mine closure had a negative effect on family and friends who did work in the mine would be a massive understatement.

Mines, shipyards, steelworks, british manufacturing in general, where are they now? What little is left is all foreign owned even our electricity, water etc. Who takes the blame? She really knew how to "take care" of working people.

I try not to do politics but it cannot be ignored that just about every bloody thing you buy nowadays is made in China or India etc. You think you're buying something with a good old British name only to find where it was made. There's no wander there's no jobs here because the owners e.g. Dyson have buggered off abroad to pay a pittance to foreign workers and amass huge personal wealth, instead of staying loyal to British workers, (who put them where they are in the first place)-not all of whom were militant.
I look very closely to find place of manufacture and try and buy British but regretfully it's getting harder.
Whatever your view of Thatcher are she really nailed home the phrase 'I'm alright Jack!'
I bet she never went to Belle Vue either!

To wish someone was dead so you can dance on their grave is sick, ateotd that's someones mother who was trying to do their best with a crap hand.

Can't believe comments like those are allowed to stay on a public forum.

This thread is pretty much going as i thought, i wish i'd not added my comments.

On that note i think its not for this forum.