Chris Kitchen said: "I would say it's time to walk away, Mr Scargill. The appointment of Ian McGregor as head of the NCB can also be argued as a factor in the failure of the strike as he was known to be notoriously formidable had no pity for the poor miners, and was determined to keep them working and living in conditions that no human being should be made to endure[24]. Accessed October 10, 2018. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3815426/. London: Vintage, 2008. Strike: When Britain Went to War. In Defence of Marxism. [21] Ridley, Nicholas. [55], In 2017, Scargill spoke at an event in Cardiff setting out how British manufacturing could be rebuilt after Britain had left the European Union. Historian, John Campbell, described the battle at Orgreave; They were beaten back by even greater numbers of mounted and heavily armoured police[41]. Margaret Thatcher even described McGregor as lacking in guile as he was used to dealing with financial difficulties and hard bargaining and had no experience with dealing with trade union leaders[25]. An example of this is the NACODs strike whereby Ian McGregor ordered colliery overmen to cross violent picket lines if they were to get paid. The strike ended on 3 March 1985 following an NUM vote to return to work. Former Scargill loyalist Jimmy Kelly, a miner at the Edlington Main pit near Doncaster in the 1980s, said he was astonished to learn of the attempt to buy the flat. (1978), CONTESTING THE MARKET: PAY EQUITY AND THE POLITICS OF ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING, Eigart, Deborah M., This varies by browser, if you do not see a box on your page with a red X try right clicking on the page, then select View Page Info, and goto the Media Tab. RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f A History of Modern Britain. [21] Many politicians, including the then Labour leader Neil Kinnock, believed Scargill had made a huge mistake in calling the strike in the summer rather than in the winter. Nevertheless, Government intervention such as the use of police and the actions of Ian McGregor was not the most important factor in the failure of the strike as many people openly criticised McGregor, including Thatcher herself. He has contested two parliamentary elections. Downing Street Years. My mother was strictly non-political. This is true as we know that Thatchers government backed down from a confrontation with the trade unions in its first parliament in 1979-83 as the government felt like it needed more time in order to stock pile coal in preparation for the next inevitable strike. However, it can be argued that government preparations werent sufficient enough in order to bring down the miners. Accessed October 11, 2018. Milne explains how the strike was a last-ditch fight to defend jobs, mining communities and the NUM itself against a government prepared to bring into play unlimited resources and its entire panoply of coercive powers as and where necessary to break the union and its backbone of support[22]. If anyone of them has any cause for complaint they are simply showing the door because they have no unions to speak for to stand up for the rights of any working man or woman in this country. Staff members suddenly taken ill, or with long-standing medical appointments, require his personal consent to be absent from the office. Riddled with Stalinist politics and practice and some of the worst sectarianism imaginable, it has no meaningful existence today. his position on freedom movements In communist states such as Poland, was unforgivable He is rightly labelled a Stalinist, along with Corbyn. RewriteBase / In any case, the will of the people has decided the UK will leave, we have even had a General Election over the matter. . The motto, An injury to one is an injury to all, applies world-wide. Scargill was often accompanied by his then wife Anne Harper to speak at picket lines and to media appearances; Harper was simultaneously involved in founding and leading the National Women Against Pit Closures movement. S.l. Thatcher deliberately chose to make the miners who continued to work look like heroes and make the striking miners look like the public enemy. [23] BATTLE FOR BRITAIN; on the 25th Anniversary of the Miners Strike, NORMAN TEBBIT Reveals Why He Believes Defeat Would Have Been the Death of Democracy. Daily Mail (London), March 6, 2009. The Making of Neil Kinnock. In 1958, he attended the World Federation of Trade Unions youth congress in Prague. Tony Benn opposes Evans view by saying the extent of the support in the NUM as a whole was evidenced by the overwhelming majority of miners who remained on strike until it ended in 1985[14]. In his diary he documents the battle at Orgreave on Monday 18th of June, 1984; Ive never seen so many of our lads altogether, it brought tears to my eyes[16]. He did not take the Eleven-Plus exam and went to Worsbrough Dale School (now called the Elmhirst School). vufindString = {bulk_email_success: "Your item(s) were e-mailed",bulk_save_success: "Your item(s) were saved successfully",close: "close",loading: "Loading",sms_success: "Message sent. Scargill had condemned the killing at the time. If it wasnt for Thatchers continued support for the Nottinghamshire miners, the strike would have had their support which may have been vital in the success of the strike. This confirms the fact that Thatcher and Ian McGregor often didnt see eye-to-eye, an example of this is the issue with the NACODs strike. Scargill led the union in the 19841985 miners' strike. Another important factor in the failure of the miners strike was Thatcher and her governments actions during the strike such as using the police force. [16] Wakefield, Arthur, and Brian Elliot. Scargill was born in Worsbrough Dale near Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire. Brexit: Labour movement debate, not talk with Tories! Nicholas Ridley conveys the mainstream media view that the failure of the strike was due to sufficient preparations for the strike by the government and out rightly says He might have won at Orgreave if it hadnt been for the preparations that the Government had made. However, many people argue that there was a lot of support for the strike so therefore it couldnt have been such an important factor in its failure in 1985. "Our communities are now just about dead on their feet." The strike started in Yorkshire in March . Person/Body (Historic): Kahn, Peggy. Many people argue that government preparations led to the failure of the strike. Therefore, without support from key groups such as the Nottinghamshire miners and the dock workers, the striking miners were isolated which may have led to the failure of the strike itself. March 07, 2009. [43] Marr, Andrew. Accessed January 06, 2019. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3503545.stm. Lawson also takes the mainstream media view that everything Thatcher did during the strike was to maintain law and order. Beyond Service: State Workers, Public Policy, and the Prospects for Tous les rsultats Google Recherche de Livres». Page 341. Registered office: Creative Tower, Fujairah, PO Box 4422, UAE. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. However, he does give credit to the harsh tactics taken by the miners that may have cut out any support for the Nottinghamshire miners; The only legitimate question that may be raised about the tactics of the NUM nationally was whether the Yorkshire miners, by picketing Nottinghamshire so early and so vigorously, alienated those they were seeking to influence. Page 414. January 07, 2000. Either way, please contact your web host immediately. : S.n., 1996. He was the President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1981 to 2002 and has served as leader of the Socialist Labour Party, a political party he founded, since 1996. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the trade union movement. Lawson takes an objective view of the events as his book was published in 1993 after a very public dispute with Thatcher where he eventually resigned. However, if it had gone the other way the Yorkshire area would have come out and other areas would have to decide whether to give support. However, Lawson then goes on to say The violent tactics used by the NUM pickets reopened the issue of Who governs Britain?. This view is supported to some extent by Labour minister Tony Benn, one of Thatchers fiercest critics, and historian, Seumas Milne who argued that the governments extensive preparations and actions during the strike led to its failure in 1984. Wilsher, Peter, Donald Macintyre, and Michael CE Jones, eds. [25] Thatcher, Margaret. Amazingly the electorate resent being told they're either racist or stupid or both, if the remain campaign had been more mature in it's approach, almost certainly a different decision would have been reached. Therefore, this portrays the feelings of the majority of the miners who were on strike as they realised that this lack of support could determine the outcome of the strike. However, we have to question Lawsons motives behind this, as he may have naturally blamed Scargill for the failure of the strike to protect his political reputation as it legitimises his role in opposing the strike. Arrow, 1994. Scargill had the ability to do great things; Pity he got in the way of his own opportunities, and could not see Communism as a failed ideology that blighted every country in which it held sway. Many people blame him for the failure of Miners Strike due to his poor leadership skills and bad judgement. I could write a million words and not be able to adequately describe the misery,hardship and dispare these leaders bought upon the people of this nation. Following these results, Thatcher urged Ian McGregor to fix the problem, she describes how time and time again he (Ian McGregor) and his colleagues were outmanoeuvred by Arthur Scargill and the NUM leadership[36]. You can try renaming that file to .htaccess-backup and refreshing the site to see if that resolves the issue. Atvery lease Mr Scargill was a leader of man and lead them unlike our current prime minister who couldn't lead a pack of sheep out of a field even though he resemble one. Thatcher disregarded how much of an impact the WAPC would have on the strike as many of the striking ladies figured out that if they went out picketing then they would less likely be targeted by police. However, another reason that many people blame Scargill for the downfall of the miners is due to the fact that Scargill authorised the flying picket strategy in order to stop miners going to work. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Written authorization is required for the purchase of tea and coffee. [31] There was much criticism of Scargill within the NUM from the Welsh and Scottish areas, who briefly considered splitting from the NUM. Perhaps theyre embarrassed by this reminder of how the Stalinist and reformist left squandered the power and influence it once had in British politics. Therefore, the overwhelming support for the strike could not be denied. Seumas Milne portrays the Marxist view that the government went over the top with the preparations in order to see the miners strike fail and bring down the unions altogether. On 25 August 2010, it was reported that Scargill had been told that he no longer qualified for full membership of the NUM under union rules that he had helped draw up, but was only eligible for "life", "retired" or "honorary" membership, none of which carried voting rights. BATTLE FOR BRITAIN; on the 25th Anniversary of the Miners Strike, NORMAN TEBBIT, Reveals Why He Believes Defeat Would Have Been the Death of Democracy.. 11: Britains Longest-serving Cabinet Member Recalls the Triumphs and Disappointments of the Thatcher Era. Industrial Democracy in Italy: Workers Co-ops and the Self-management Debate Mark Holmstrom, Mark Holmstrm Snippet view - 1989. Therefore, the fact that Scargill didnt call a National Ballot was irrelevant[11] as Tony Benn says, but the fact that Scargill authorised violent tactics that reduced public sympathy and misjudged situations may have been a factor in the failure of the miners strike. [19] Morgan, Kenneth O.Britain since 1945: The Peoples Peace. He had a powerful speaking capability which garnered much passionate support from those who watched or saw his speeches. A5 format. This event is held every year at the Barnsley Headquarters of the NUM and acquired particular poignancy that year as it coincided with the 30th anniversary of the strike. The .htaccess file contains directives (instructions) that tell the server how to behave in certain scenarios and directly affect how your website functions. "Goodbye to all that? }); [40] Tony Benn. Wikipedia. I think people would be astounded if they knew that."[42]. The myth of workers' control by Arthur Scargill 0 Ratings 0 Want to read 0 Currently reading 0 Have read Overview View 2 Editions Details Reviews Lists Related Books Publish Date 1980 Publisher University of Leeds, University of Nottingham Language English Pages 22 This edition doesn't have a description yet. [14], Scargill was a very vocal opponent of Thatcher's Conservative government, frequently appearing on television to attack it. Harpercollins Publishers, 2012. His application was refused because the flat in the Barbican Estate's Shakespeare Tower was not Scargill's primary residence. At the risk of paraphrasing, Karl Marx once wrote that the great figures of history appear first as tragedy and then as farce. Arrow, 1994. Harpercollins Publishers, 2012. (2004) "Al Richardson (19412003): An Appreciation", David Howell, et al. He is looking for socialism in one country, and since that is impossible he ends up with a recipe of capitalism in one country. Eric Evans described him as aggressive and charismatic, but vain and politically limited[42], therefore showing his limitations as the head of NCB. The Miners Strike Day by Day: The Illustrated 1984-85 Diary of Yorkshire Miner Arthur Wakefield. Margaret Thatcher: Volume Two The Iron Lady. However, we have to be careful when using this as evidence as Tebbit may have been trying to take credit for the failure of the strike. March 10, 2004. (The Yorkshire Left had already decided to stand him as their candidate even before the strike.) Accessed October 10, 2018. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3815426/. [57] Scargill supported the 2022 United Kingdom railway strike, joining an RMT picket line in Wakefield on 21 June 2022. The NUM is not your personal bank account and never will be again. However, Thatcher, herself, has discredited this view saying He (Arthur Scargill) was making wild claims that the CEGB had only eight weeks of coal stocks. [26] Milne, Seumas. Accessed October 11, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/jan/07/guardianletters4. Accessed October 12, 2018. [8] Beckett, Francis, and David Hencke. This sparked an individual ballot of members, in the autumn of 1984, whereby the ballot obtained an 80% plus vote for strike action, a decision which, if implemented, would have been sufficient to save pits and jobs, and win the dispute which had been brought by the National Coal Board[35]. [44] Thatcher, Margaret. How the Miners Strike Could Have Won. Socialist Worker (Britain). This article, far from being full of lies, hit the nail, well and truly, on the head. This is portrayed by Kenneth OMorgan, who takes a clear mainstream media view. The Truth of Nacods Shameful Sell-out. The Guardian. This only reinforces the idea that it was Scargills decision not to call a ballot that lost him valuable support. RewriteRule . I was for the EU then, and was critical of this stance, but I I then came to the out view, albeit for different reasons.l, and was fully behind Brexit. The best work on Scargill was Michael Crick, Scargill and the Miners (1985). Page 164. Scargill never balloted NUM members for a strike; this was seen as an erosion of democracy within the union, but the role of ballots in decision-making had been made very unclear after previous leader, Joe Gormley, had ignored two ballots over wage reforms, and his decisions had been upheld after appeals to court were made. Assess the view that the main reason for the failure of the miners strike in 1984 was the leadership of Arthur Scargill. [58][59] Scargill's appearance on the picket line was alluded to by Prime Minister Boris Johnson the next day at Prime Minister's Questions, accusing the Labour Party of "literally holding hands with Arthur Scargill". It is possible that you may need to edit the .htaccess file at some point, for various reasons.This section covers how to edit the file in cPanel, but not what may need to be changed. [16] One branch of the NUM, at Annesley in Nottinghamshire, put forward a vote of no confidence in Scargill in autumn 1983 following his comments on these matters, but Scargill defeated this at a December meeting and won a vote of confidence instead. London: Fontana, 1992. However, we have to be careful when taking Nicholas Ridleys account at face value as he was a known Thatcherite and also came up with the Ridley Plan that outlined how to deal and prepare for a potential strike; Perhaps my confidential annexe had been worthwhile after all. Sadly, all these new political halfwits who think it is smart to ignorethe pieces of history that doesnt suit them, bangingon about the way theysee the future ignoring the fact it should be the way we all would like to see it, should remember the silent majority is just that, ignore it of forget it at your peril. March 10, 2004. The failure of the miners strike in 1984 has been seen by many as the result of bad leadership of the head of the NUM, Arthur Scargill, the lack of support for the strike as well as giving credit to the governments preparations. Some scholars have concluded that Scargill's decisive tactical error was to substitute his famous flying picket for the holding of a national strike ballot. He then went on to say: The deep disillusion of the mining communitywas spontaneous and genuine. He is best known for leading the UK miners' strike (1984-85), a major event in the history of the British labour movement. We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. [9] When Bullough (unwell at the time) attempted to rule Scargill as "out of order", he was voted out by the area's delegates and a strike was declared across Yorkshire on the issue. The Myth of Workers' Control Issue 5 of Occasional papers in industrial relations Author Arthur Scargill Publisher University of Leeds, 1980 Original from Cornell University Digitized Apr. [35] The Truth of Nacods Shameful Sell-out. The Guardian. "It was Thatcher's legislation, actually giving council tenants the right to buy their own houses. It is also possible that you have inadvertently deleted your document root or the your account may need to be recreated. He left school in 1953 at fifteen years old to work as a coal miner at Woolley Colliery, where he worked for nineteen years.[2][3]. This will reset the permalinks and fix the issue in many cases. This is given credence by the fact that Scargill authorised these violent tactics, which decreased public sympathy for the Miners which was actually their greatest asset[10]. The End of an Era Diaries 1980-90. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has stripped ex-president Arthur Scargill of his voting rights - threatening to end the career of one of the most divisive figures in Britain's recent. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/jan/07/guardianletters4, https://www.marxist.com/britain-when-britain-went-to. This is unfair as after the NCB accidently announced pit closures, the strike gained momentum very quickly forcing Scargill to just go along with it. [32] The documentary suggests that the claims against Scargill were untrue. Paul Hampton and Martin Thomas respond to Eric Lee on Clara Zetkin. Some historians have provided interpretations and explanations of the defeat. Therefore, the argument that the government limited its role to upholding law and order in the dispute is faulty as many of the people who were downplaying the governments actions are known Thatcherites and consequently had ulterior motives. However, In , He was right. [22][23], Many found Scargill inspiring; many others found him frankly scary. But Rule 43 said that a national strike can only be called if there was a ballot. Harpercollins Publishers, 2012. A dialogue box may appear asking you about encoding. //
