Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

I doubt leafy Wokingham suffered in the same way in the 80's as the industrial North.

Agree with the last sentence, except for the inference that e.g. miners weren't generally ordinary decent people.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Yep my Dads relatives worked in the pit and they were fine ordinary decent upstanding people who my Dad looked up too as they taught him the basics of life but alas stereotyping and demonising certain groups on here has become too much of a common occurrence for my liking especially when its based on ignorance , prejudice and political biasedness.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Unfortunately the history books will show that there were ordinary decent miners who wanted to work but were abused/attacked/murdered by other miners. :(

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

The history books leave out the state sponsored assaults the police inflicted, ordered by the Iron Lady. The Hillsborough families are seeing justice, the miners need justice too. Unfortunately one of the chief suspects is no longer with us.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Yes South Yorkshire police certainly tore up the rule book in the 80's.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

I had relatives involved in the mining industry in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and well remember them talking about the miner's strike and how they and most of their colleagues didn't support it and it wasn't the police doing most of the intimidating back then. Also miner's like every group had their share of bad but overall they were decent, honest hardworking people doing their best and should not all be judged by the small group of N.U.M sponsored thugs most of whom hadn't been down a pit in their lives.

As for whose worse between Thatcher and Scargill it's no contest Scargill takes it by a country mile a small man who got power and blew an entire industry into the dirt trying to use that power to blackmail an entire country.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

I think you are stretching reality a bit thin by inferring that.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

I wasn't living in Womingham at the time, but wherever you lived, the lights were going out at regular intervals and there was a general concern that the country was being taken over by Communists. Ordinary miners suffered the worst, of course, as did those towns and villages that relied on the industry for their economy.

Incidentally, I did not say that ordinary mineworkers were not decent people. It was the union leaders like Arthur Scargill who were actively trying to bring down the government who were responsible for all the chaos at the time. They also pretty well destroyed the mining industry in the process.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Correct and they certainly hastened its demise. It was politically motivated.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Perhaps another reverberation from the election. Kezia Dugdale quits as Scottish Labour leader.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-41082916

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

I think she's had a moment of clarity, encapsulated in this comment in her resignation letter:

Quote:

Earlier this year I lost a dear friend who taught me a lot about how to live. His terminal illness forced him to identify what he really wanted from life, how to make the most of it and how to make a difference. He taught me how precious and short life was and never to waste a moment.

So many of us never have this realisation until it is too late...

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Many events can change ones thinking and priorities in our lives as none of us are invincible that is for sure and l commend her for making obviously what was a difficult decision for her.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Seconded. Wise words from you and Kezia.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

I think the most shocking news is May is running as Tory leader in 2022 Election. So one can presume she ain't going nowhere.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Guido has given some good reasons why he thinks she won't:

https://order-order.com/2017/08/31/m...ing-on-and-on/