Category: Uncategorized

Arthur Scargill (President, National Union of Mineworkers 1982-2002), to Barnsley Chronicle (published 21 June 2024) I rarely write letters to newspapers but feel I must respond to your front-page story headlined “Labour pledges £700-a-year boost for ex-miners” (June 14, 2024). The statement: “First introduced in 1952, the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme set out to ensure that retired mineworkers received a good pension after years of work in coal mines” gives the impression that all retired mineworkers will qualify for the Labour Party’s Manifesto proposal of a £14 per week pension increase from the MPS investment reserve fund. Nothing could be further from the truth.  The MPS was established in 1952 as a flat-rate scheme into which mineworkers paid no more than 20p a week – receiving pennies, not pounds on retirement.  During a Court case in 1996, British Coal witnesses admitted many mineworker pensioners received  no more than £1 a week from the MPS. It was not until 1975 that the National Union of Mineworkers negotiated a defined benefits scheme which involved contributions from both mineworkers and the NCB – but the NCB refused to make the new scheme retrospective – leaving out thousands of retired miners and other beneficiaries, none of whom will benefit from the Labour Party’s “£700-a-year” pledge. I speak from experience; I receive a good pension as a retired full-time NUM official – but after working as a miner at Woolley Colliery for nearly 20 years from 1953 to 1972, my MPS pension today is £3.12 per week. In 1994, the Government privatised the MPS – and established a 50:50 split with the Scheme of any surpluses in future valuations, a “split” which has resulted in the Government effectively stealing £4.4 bn from a fund established to provide pensions for retired miners and their widows! In 2021, the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee called for this split to be replaced with a more appropriate arrangement. In its opening Summary, the Select Committee’s Report stated that since privatisation in 1994 to date: “….The Government has received £4.4 bn, and is also due to receive another£1.9 bn, on top of 50% off any future surpluses.  The Government has not paid any funds into the Scheme in return”. And: “We conclude that, with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that the Government has already profited greatly from the Scheme.” And: “The Government must acknowledge that continuation of arrangements in their current form deserves a review and a better outcome for pensioners should be found.” And: “The Government should also relinquish its entitlement to the Investment Reserve, and transfer the £1.2 bn fund to miners, to provide an immediate cash uplift to former miners.” It was pointed out that since the arrangement was agreed in 1994:  “the Government has received £3.1 bn as its share of surpluses, and £1.3 bn from the Investment Reserve.  The Government has not contributed financially to the Scheme since it became the Guarantor in 1994.  The agreement did not include a mechanism to review the arrangements at any point in the future”. That was three years ago.  The Chronicle’s 14 June report states that the Labour Party “will review the surplus sharing arrangement and return the £1.6 bn investment reserve fund to miners”.  This figure of £1.6 bn means that in the three years since the Select Committee’s Report the Investment Reserve fund has increased substantially, with the Government plundering still more. Chris Cheetham, Chair of the MPS Trustees in 2021 explained that such an arrangement is now “highly unusual”, if not “unique”.  “There is no current situation where sponsors take money out of the scheme that they are responsible for; indeed, they cannot.  Regulations do not enable it”.

Kathrine Jones is the SLP Candidate for Bangor and Aberconwy.

Arthur Scargill, former NUM leader with Gareth Peirce, solicitor and human rights activist in Sheffield Arthur Scargill joined the 2024 Rally fighting for justice for the infamous Battle of Orgreave where riot police, horses, shields, trucheons took on unprotected miners picketing the delivering of coal to Orgreave. He himself had led from the front but at some point was felled by a police shield landing him in hospital. He made it clear that he wanted pickets to remain in place on site as had happened in 1972 at Saltley Gate in Birmingham when the combination of pickets and 20,000 Birmingham workers compelled the police to shut the gates. It was a famous victory, but one that haunted Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher all those years later. She devotes a chapter in her autobiography to it. There is absolutely no reason why Orgreave have the same outcome as Saltley had Scargill’s wishes been followed. The police have not challenged that view. Gareth Peirce, the lawyer famed for her involvement in high profile cases, including Orgreave and Hillsbrough, spoke along with Scargill. The police brought prosecutions against 95 miners but thanks to the eminent legal representation led by Ms Peirce their cases were all dismissed with the comment “one police force, two disgraces”. This included senor police ordering officers to change their statements. The BBC also assisted by running a news report backwards so it looked as if miners were moving forward on the attack while they were actually retreating. The BBC reported that while Arthur Scargill was in attendance he was not a speaker. In fact there were speakers in the afternoon as well as the morning and he spoke to wind up the day. At this point I’m waiting see what was said during the day. Arthur has already spoken at packed meetings at a number of former mining sites and received standing ovations each time, such is the continuing feeling of injustice among the communities affected by the Thatcher Government’s actions and lies as they killed of mining along with so much of competitive British Industry. Many of the pits were profitable and certainly cheaper than the inferior and dirtier coal which was, and is still required to provide our energy needs.

Iyad Burnat before and after his imprisonment at the hands of the Israeli Occupation Force. Iyad Burnat was well known for his speaking tours over the years. He and his family have experienced violence which led to serious injuries. We are not talking about Gaza or Hamas, the supposed enemy, but the West Bank where IOF together with settlers are habitually violent towards Palestinians, their property and livlihood. Time for a CEASEFIRE and end to violence involving atrocities of unimaginable horror towards a courageous who have practiced years of non-violent resistence. The whole world, apart from the few with vested interests, arms dealers and the like are sickened by the gross inhumanity witnessed day by day over months. For the Palestinians it has been decades. In solidarity. John Tyrrell 12/6/2024

As a miner for 25 yrs. I campaigned peacefully in 1984/5 highlighting the truth about the pit closure programme. I served as a district councillor for 20 yrs.and served in the  fire service; also as a school governor and on the road safety committee. With consistent predictions: “Our demands most moderate are, we only want the earth”. Peter Michael James Dean. p&p Socialist Labour Party 49 Stockwell Road, Birmingham B21 9RL Website: socialistlabourparty.com

p&p 49 B21 9RL socialistlabourparty.org

p&p Socialist Labour Party, 49 Stockwell Road, Birmingham B21 9RL. Website: socialistlabourparty.org

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla dui ante, condimentum ut justo ac, luctus consectetur lectus. Cras placerat sit amet purus ut commodo. Ut lectus purus, cursus eu auctor eu, pretium quis mi. Duis non turpis at velit consequat pharetra. Vivamus et erat id massa congue interdum sed vel neque. Cras id aliquet ligula. Suspendisse diam mi, lobortis ut lacinia at, commodo ac nisl. Pellentesque efficitur arcu nulla, ut tristique tortor ornare varius. Sed porta enim metus, sed tristique justo mattis sit amet. Fusce laoreet enim dui, non hendrerit nunc volutpat nec. Mauris quis odio iaculis, pharetra massa ut, vehicula dui.

David was a Unison member and worked in the NHS for 20 years as a Care Assistant and latterly in admin as a “Waiting List Assistant”. He is now a Unite the union member and works in administration/reception at the University of Edinburgh. p&p 49 B21 9RL socialistlabourparty.org