h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7200432.stm

This story is interesting because it holds up a mirror to the behaviour of the governments we had at the time. After the miner's strike - which, I'm glad to say for different reasons altogether, the miners lost - the Conservative government pursued a policy of mine closures, partly as punishment but partly because some pits were simply unviable. However, they overreached themselves when in the early 90's, with John Major in power, they decided that having cut away the dead wood they were going to go for the living tree, mainly as retribution for the miner's strike. There was a huge public backlash, and a certain slimy Cabinet member suffered a well-deserved heart attack as a result.

The miners at tower Colliery bought out the pit and continued to work it successfully despite the claim that the pit was economically unviable. They showed that the then Conservative government, having run out of ideas and justification for their actions, were hell-bent on imposing their ideology regardless. How many more pits could have carried on working? How many more were perfectly viable, given the right management?

I wasn't aware enough to do more than notice that there were a lot of very angry men on the telly for a long time, but we did discuss it a bit at school. It was more about work, rather than politics though.

I always thought the strike was about the closures, rather than the closure decisions came about after the strike, but perhaps I've still got it wrong.

As a little aside, I doubt I'd want to live on a big hole, however affordable the housing was. Surely they should fill it with rubbish first?

"I always thought the strike was about the closures, rather than the closure decisions came about after the strike, but perhaps I've still got it wrong."

No, you've not got it wrong. There were going to be closures so they went on strike, but their grievance was a pretext. The strike was really about bringing down a democratically elected government, however distasteful. Thatcher *knew* this was going to happen so she had been preparing for years by stockpiling coal at the power stations. She also ensured that the miners union would *never* win a ballot for strike action by offering very generous redundancy terms.

However, in the 90's, after the Government had thoroughly beaten the miners, they decided to weigh in with another spate of closures as retribution. Public opinion saw this (correctly) as 'kicking your opponent when he's down', a vindictive and bullying action as the previous set of closures was generally percieved to be sufficiently corrective. This kind of mentality is one of the reasons I will never vote Tory. As to the others, well, have you got a spare five hours?

Thanks for running through that. I've not got five hours, no, sorry.

I generally vote for the people who won't get in, ie Green, although I was one of the people who voted Labour in some time ago, which although I was very happy at the time I vaguely regret now.

Get ready for Greens getting into government. Ireland's Cabinet now includes two Green Party Ministers (out of six elected representatives plus two senators). Don't be surprised, it's happening.

~R, not really here.

I can't help thinking that if the Greens got into power in the UK then it would be an unmitigated disaster. They have some very good ideas, but they are also encumbered by so much irrational baggage. Apparently now, according to the Soil Association, it's OK to use nanoparticles providing they are 'natural' but not if they are man-made. So, soot and viruses are OK, whereas titanium dioxide sunscreen isn't. Four legs good, two legs bad...

If they have a role, it's as a voice of conscience speaking quietly into our ear, but not as shapers of policy.

If they get close to getting into power I'll read all their policies properly. In the meantime I just use that website that tells you who to vote for,

I find that The Voices In My Head are just as reliable.

I don't get those, luckily. Although the dogs and I do have some great chats on occasion.

Please don't allow the weirdos to destroy the name of Green. Be the Greens that they are not. My biggest effort here is to urge the Greens to remain a one-issue party: "if we lose the environment we lose everything."

Our Ministers, John Gormley and Eamon Ryan, plus minister of state Trevor Sargent, are sound and convincing. John does rather enjoy the political game, but he knows the priorities. Eamon is the most credible politician I have seen in the Dail; I am genuinely impressed.

If you just let the lunatic fringe run the party (by not joining and steadying them) then you delay things. Think of the delay that was put on the acceptance of Darwinism, on account of its hijacking by "Social Darwinism".

This issue however cannot afford much delay.