The Miners Strike...

I was in the forces up to 1980 came out and back on the dole, maggie was no hero of mine! during the strike was living in llantrisant and had a lot of mates who were on strike from cwm and coed ely. Was then and am now 100% behind the miners and hate the tories. I am not a fool and could see both sides, we were being shit on big time by those that would like to be the ruling classes!
Today many years on my grand father in law has died from the 'dust' , mining is still effecting our lives. Hate the scabs ,no pride, no guts and a lot of them no shame!

Again how can you condemn a man for returning to work because he either could not just sit and watch his family starve or thrown on the street. Or his Wife leaving him because he put his pride and commitment for his work colleagues before his own Family. I wasn't in that position so I won't condemn those that stayed out or those that broke it.
But what I do know both Thatcher and Scargill kept there bellies full through the whole strike and lived in the best properties whilst they both used the Miners for there own political gain.
In my view the Miners had a comrade only the Miners could have due to the dangerous nature of there job.And both Thatcher and Scargill exploited that to the full.

Really good thread & good points made.Agree with a lot that has been said & both Scargill & Thatcher treated the miners badly.Where did all the money go that was being donated to the miners? Springsteen alone donated £100,000 when he toured Britain, it certainly did'nt reach us who were on strike, not a single penny.The union feathered their own nest & let the rest of us suffer.Not once did Thatcher or Scargill care about what their personal battle was doing to families, they were'nt the ones suffering, it was Britains darkest hour & to watch the battle of Orgreave on the news with the old bill laying into the miners was sickening.

Here is a documentary on that Battle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUOem7bid-0