Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
Ten million pounds for a funeral when we are all being told money is tight and people are having their benefits cut is a disgrace. It may be a small amount of money in relation to all the cuts going on but it is still tax payers money. .
I did say in an earlier post I would not say anything about her but this funeral cost has got my back up. I never liked her, she forgot her routes and took unemployment from 1,4 million to 3.5 million and saw thousands of people loose their homes and showed that she and her Government did not care a dam. .
However I agree she should have a respectful funeral fitting to a past leader of this Country but certainly not at a cost to the tax payer of ten million pounds.
One thing for sure I will not be watching it.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
I hope they stuck a Stake in the old girls hart before they shut the lid ,or she willl be back
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it was extended gardening leave martin.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
what at 20 quid a kilo kieth,your jesting.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Ask Norman Tebbit whether she stood down or was forced down "His one regret was that he did not stand by her when she was thrown to her, eeeerrrrr, Friends"
That sums it up nicely; she was used and tossed aside when the job was done, just as the ordinary miner was used and abandoned, in their insidious campaign to smash the unions.
Thanks to her, our miners are only being remembered for the strike and for the closing of our collieries.
Over 100 years of history is being forgotten and our miners are dying every week, with that dreaded "Enemy Within" label, being taken to the grave by them and their families.
During the war, many miners wanted to fight for their country, most were told that their jobs of continuing to produce coal was just as important as going to war and could not join up. Other younger miners were allowed to sign up and they were put to work tunnelling under German lines, to set charges and blow up the enemy, many never came back.
When the war was won, this country was in a deep depression, poverty and unemployment was very high.
Opening the Kent coalfield was a lifeline to over 6ooo miners and their families, they came from all over this country, giving them work and lifting them out of this depression.
The locals took fright and villages and housing estates, outside of our towns, were built to settle these mining families. Turning in on themselves they developed their own culture, their own way of life but they did not exclude the locals. They helped build and support churches and schools, all types of sports, like rugby football cricket etc. became important social activities in their communities. Welfare clubs and Medical centres, Brass Bands and Choirs, all added to making life in this corner of Kent a better place to live.
Our miners were not just part of our History here in Kent, they helped to created it.
They did not deserve to be called the "Enemy Within"
The majority of these miners that have recently passed away and are passing away now, often dying from a long painful death, must not just be remembered for that strike or for trying to keep their collieries from closing, they should be remembered for the proud brave men that they were and for some, still are.
This is not a time of celebration for me, nothing this woman did for me or my big mining family, is worth celebrating, not even her passing.
With the enquiries that are now being held and with pieces of "freedom of information" that is now trickling out, I am angry that she will not be around to answer to the truth, that will come out one day.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,885
Maggie always reminded me of the rhyme 'when she was good she was very very good but when she was bad she was horrid'.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Scargill was out to bring down the government and you know it GaryC.
He used the miners as useful pawns in his political ambitions. Thankfully a significant proportion refused to be used by him and carried on working. Those brave working miners defied the violent thugs on the picket line day after day and it is they on whom the wartime spirit of the miners rested, not the strikers. I am sure that many more would have defied Scargill if it had not been for the bullying and intimidation.
The enemy within was not the miners per'se but the Union extremists and thugs who did Scargills bidding.
I agree with you though - it is unjust to think of the miners only in the sense of strikers and those ordinary miners who are ill and suffer deserve our sympathy.
We all know that Scargill was planning to strike from the October. We also know about the work to rule that reduced coal production which he hoped would deplete coal stocks at the power stations. We also know that it was in the national interest to force him into calling his strike early before those stocks were depleted and that is exactly what happened. Scargill is the man who you should blame for all the hardship of the strike, no-one else. The country benefited from his defeat and the end of the Trade Union monster that so destroyed many industries.
Remember as well, more mines were closed under Wilson and Callaghan than under Mrs T.
Guest 1694- Registered: 24 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,087
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49332/2331-coal-production-1853-to-2010.xls
Not taking sides here - my Grandfather was a miner and was involved in sinking the second shaft at Tilmanstone - just posting a link to the numbers, Barry may, after all, be right or wrong (but never left). This way we can look at the stats and judge for ourselves.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
BarryW.
You can continue to tell your lies for as long as you want to, your opinions are just that, opinions and mean nothing.
I know the truth and thats what is important.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 725- Registered: 7 Oct 2011
- Posts: 1,418
Isn't it ironic? On one hand We have the TUC berating the policies brought in by the Thatcher government in terms of closing down coal mines and yet if they had their way every single remaining coal mine would close tomorrow if you take their reasoning to it's (only) logical conclusion:
http://www.tuc.org.uk/social/index.cfm?mins=82&minors=80&majorsubjectID=13
So on the one hand We have the TUC opining that We have to do something about climate change which involves progressing with measures to bring about a low carbon economy whilst on the other telling their members that it was awful to close the mines down.
So do these trade union officials have some magical and novel use for the remaining coal stocks besides coal tar soap?
Such is the madness of politics. One big game where the facts don't figure.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
GaryC - I am telling no lies, you are hiding from the truth.
Lies eh....
The scenes of thuggery from pickets trying to intimidate miners to stop them from going to work.
Scargills openly declared intentions to bring down the government.
The work to rule.
You think they are lies? Made up scenes by actors on tv perhaps?
Yes and there are little green men living on Mars where Elvis lives with JFK after being kidnapped by them.....
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
Barry
The stopping of coal production du to economics is one thing, this was the argument at the time,
The vandalism of national assets is another, you wouldn't bulldozer access to an oil well that's still got reserves would you? you would cap it off .
This is what should have happened to the pits if not economical du to global prices at that time, the shafts could have been preserved and pumps left running giving us the option of returning in more energy desperate times
The Thatcher government was vindictive and very short sighted on Britons coal reserves.
Guest 725- Registered: 7 Oct 2011
- Posts: 1,418
Actually some of those scenes were made up Barry. It is well known that during the Orgreave event the BBC released news footage which made it appear that the strikers attacked the Police whereas in fact the complete opposite was true. It was media manipulation at its worst.
Thatcher did good and bad for the country so I have no axe to grind on the matter but both sides are so polarized that it's hard to discuss her legacy without the usual bim bam bash.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Also - here are some figures for mines
1900 number of mines 3,384
1947:........................... 958
1955: .......................... 850.
1965:........................... 483
1975:........................... 241
1985:........................... 131
1995:............................ 65 (it is possible some of these are open-cast, not sure of that)
There you are - closing mines was no nasty plot by Mrs T but a process over many years and, in fact, more were closed by Wilson and Callaghan than by Mrs T. I did see these figures somewhere and from memory it was around 100 more over the corresponding periods of government.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
Barry
And the destroying of national assets by all governments ??
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
You cannot live in the past Keith. Economies change.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
so do peoples attitude towards an incompetent goverment.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Actually Brian, people's attitude doesn't change; some people will always think Labour is useless at government because they aren't prudent with tax-payers' money and other people will always think the Conservatives have to clear up their mess.
Roger
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
Or one could say the Conservative keep most of the cake for their ``friends``
and Labour share it out a`` little bit`` better...............
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Not sure thats the case anymore Reg, think Ecclestone, Lord Levy and Tony's cronies. The highest tax rate is higher now is higher than under the last labour lot.
Don't get me wrong I'm not defending the tories, they are inept, but lets not yah boo for the sake of it.