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| Miners recall strike 25 years on | Miners recall strike 25 years on |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Former colliers have been recalling the bitter events of the 1984 miners' strike - 25 years since it began. | Former colliers have been recalling the bitter events of the 1984 miners' strike - 25 years since it began. |
| The anniversary marks the start of what became one of the longest disputes since the 1926 General Strike. | The anniversary marks the start of what became one of the longest disputes since the 1926 General Strike. |
| The resulting hardship, violence and bitterness affected a generation and many miners still resent the police, and those who carried on working. | The resulting hardship, violence and bitterness affected a generation and many miners still resent the police, and those who carried on working. |
| Ex-miner Roy Sargesson said if he saw a non-striker now he would ignore them. "Once a scab, always a scab," he said. | Ex-miner Roy Sargesson said if he saw a non-striker now he would ignore them. "Once a scab, always a scab," he said. |
| The year-long dispute pitted the National Union of Mineworkers, led by Arthur Scargill, against Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government. | The year-long dispute pitted the National Union of Mineworkers, led by Arthur Scargill, against Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government. |
| Clashes between miners and police over pit closures began in Yorkshire but quickly spread around the country. | Clashes between miners and police over pit closures began in Yorkshire but quickly spread around the country. |
| Former union official Mike Appleyard said the police were "dreadful" and had "a lot to be forgiven for". | Former union official Mike Appleyard said the police were "dreadful" and had "a lot to be forgiven for". |
| 'Wrongly handled' | 'Wrongly handled' |
| Anybody would think this was... some fascist state Mike Appleyard Miners took on governmentPit strike's bitter legacy | Anybody would think this was... some fascist state Mike Appleyard Miners took on governmentPit strike's bitter legacy |
| He told the BBC: "There were riot shields and batons against men in trainers and plimsolls. Young men, the salt of the earth. | He told the BBC: "There were riot shields and batons against men in trainers and plimsolls. Young men, the salt of the earth. |
| "I was arrested and thrown in jail with shackles on me... the police officer just stood me up, give me a number, photographed me. | "I was arrested and thrown in jail with shackles on me... the police officer just stood me up, give me a number, photographed me. |
| "His first words were, 'do you know any trade union leaders? Do you know any communists?' Straight up. | "His first words were, 'do you know any trade union leaders? Do you know any communists?' Straight up. |
| "This was Britain, anybody would think this was South Africa or some fascist state, this was Britain." | "This was Britain, anybody would think this was South Africa or some fascist state, this was Britain." |
| Lord Tebbit, who was employment secretary at the time of the strike, said if the National Union of Mineworkers had had a sensible leader the government could have negotiated a better way of reducing the size of the industry. | Lord Tebbit, who was employment secretary at the time of the strike, said if the National Union of Mineworkers had had a sensible leader the government could have negotiated a better way of reducing the size of the industry. |
| The dispute began in March 1984, with news that Cortonwood pit near Barnsley was to close - within days, half the country's mineworkers had walked out. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | The dispute began in March 1984, with news that Cortonwood pit near Barnsley was to close - within days, half the country's mineworkers had walked out. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| But the strike also caused divisions among miners themselves. Some were unhappy that Arthur Scargill had not called a ballot, and Nottinghamshire colliers led moves to set up a breakaway body, the Union of Democratic Miners. Bitterness still exists; in extreme cases, NUM fathers refused to speak to UDM sons. | |
| By the end of the stoppage, 20,000 people - miners and police officers - had been injured. A book, published to mark the anniversary, claims news of the Barnsley closure was a "mistake". | By the end of the stoppage, 20,000 people - miners and police officers - had been injured. A book, published to mark the anniversary, claims news of the Barnsley closure was a "mistake". |
| Marching To The Fault Line says the National Coal Board (NCB) never intended to include Cortonwood in the list of pits to be closed at that time. | Marching To The Fault Line says the National Coal Board (NCB) never intended to include Cortonwood in the list of pits to be closed at that time. |
| It went on to say no proper closure procedure had begun at the very pit which started the strike and that it had all been "wrongly handled". | It went on to say no proper closure procedure had begun at the very pit which started the strike and that it had all been "wrongly handled". |
| A series of events has been planned in the coming weeks and months to mark the anniversary, including concerts, books and a play. | A series of events has been planned in the coming weeks and months to mark the anniversary, including concerts, books and a play. |
| The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will meet in Yorkshire on 28 March to discuss the stoppage. | The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will meet in Yorkshire on 28 March to discuss the stoppage. |