Latest news with #ArthurScargill
Spectator
3 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
The truth about the 1984 miners' strike
On 6 March 1984, I found myself smack-bang in the middle of the largest industrial dispute in post-war history. As the son of a fifth-generation miner whose bedroom window looked out onto Pye Hill Pit in Selston – the remote Nottinghamshire mining village I called home – I couldn't help but be caught up in the miners' strike. And over its 363 days, I watched with bemused anger as a series of nods, winks, slights of hand and outright lies were fashioned into a hard and fast history. On one side we had the National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) principled president Arthur Scargill and the striking miners, fighting to save British mining. On the other side, Nottinghamshire's moneygrubbing scabs, intent on murdering Old King Coal – aided by Margaret Thatcher and the rozzers. Admittedly, the media didn't spell it out quite so plainly, but there were enough headlines and emotion-heavy images to make sure we all got the message.
Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Rachel Reeves channels her inner Scargill
King Arthur would be proud. Who'd have thought Rachel Reeves would be so keen to follow in the footsteps of Arthur Scargill, of National Union of Mineworkers fame, in dictating where pension trustees invest their members' money? In 1982, two years before the miners' strike, Scargill was responsible for a high court case. He was one of five union reps making up half the10-strong board of trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme. The other five were from the National Coal Board. Crucially, no one had a casting vote. So, when the union reps declared that they would not support any overseas investment or anything that competed with coal, the trustees found themselves in a stand-off. The upshot? A legal case, resulting in a judgment from
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Why should Labour be seen as the party of the workers? Reform UK will take that off them next
I STARTED working down the pit as a teenager just a year after the miners' strike of the Eighties, where my dad and the rest of the miners in my family took part in the year-long action. It was a bitter dispute that divided communities as they became pawns in a war played out by Arthur Scargill and Margaret Thatcher. 3 During my first week underground, I expected some of the miners to be hostile towards me as I was the son of a striking miner in a pit where more than 90 per cent of the men worked. It soon became apparent to me that this was not the case. Yes, there was still some bitterness, but those I worked with were decent, hard-working men who made me feel part of the mining family. Fiercely patriotic Many of them had been involved in the strikes of the Seventies, one of which brought down the Edward Heath government of the day. As all my new workmates were union members, I thought they would all be ardent Labour-voting trade unionists who would love to bring down a Tory government every time they came to power. But I was wrong. They weren't that political. The men I worked with were just decent, hard-working blokes who did an incredibly dangerous job in the harshest conditions to put food on the table and pay the rent. These men were fiercely patriotic, loved Queen and country, they worked weekends so they could afford a family holiday once a year and they wanted a brighter future for their children — a future that didn't involve their sons or daughters working down the pit or in a factory. If the next generation does better in life than their parents, then that is progress — the sort of progress the working classes have always aspired to. The irony is that these are conservative values, yet it was in our DNA to always vote against the Conservative Party as we were Labour-supporting trade unionists. Farage promised an earthquake & he delivered - Labour are badly bruised & Tories face being brushed aside as opposition Fast forward 40 years and I found myself as a Reform UK MP who still has a soft spot for the trade union movement and its members as I genuinely believe that the British worker is still the best in the world, and we must do everything we can to protect them. For me, the union members have never been the problem — it's the union leaders who have taken advantage of their positions to push their own political agendas. These leaders sometimes treat their members as useful idiots. I saw it first-hand during the miners' strike where, at Shirebrook Colliery, just down the road from me, the men voted not to strike — but their leaders called them all out on strike. They were bullied into strike action and violent scenes followed. It divided a whole community and set family against family, while the union bosses sat back gloating at their divisive achievements. In 2025, there are many similarities, except this time union leaders are setting their sights on Reform UK as we surge in the polls. We are no threat at all to working people in the UK. We are a party of aspiration and hard work. We want people to succeed through hard work, have strong family values and know that there will be opportunities for their children to succeed, and we want people to be proud of our history, heritage and culture. Some of the union leaders will point to the fact that we voted against the Employment Rights Bill. Yes, we did, and it's not because we are against workers' rights. We are against what was in the bill. It was a bill that would cost jobs and deter business owners from expanding. People need jobs, not an ideology that will cost jobs. 3 It comes as no surprise to me that Reform UK stormed the recent local elections, especially in places like Ashfield, the capital of common sense. The ex-mining families turned out in their droves to vote for us at the General Election and again at last week's local elections. Even though many of them will or have been Labour- voting union members, they have decided they will not be used as useful idiots any more. Why should the Labour Party be seen as the party of the workers? Reform UK will take that off them next. My dad is 80 years old and was a fierce trade unionist who took part in three miners' strikes in the 1970s and 1980s. He voted Labour all his life until his mid-seventies, when he voted for me as a Tory candidate and then, just like many of his old pit mates, voted Reform UK last July. Union leaders need to wake up and ask themselves: 'Why?' 3
Telegraph
14-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Labour is waging an open war on businesses
Whenever I speak to small business owners in Fareham and Waterlooville – or anywhere across the country, for that matter – the conversation quickly turns to how they are coping under the new Labour Government. From cafés and pubs to dry cleaners and hairdressers, the story is the same: they are struggling. And not in a vague 'times are tough' sort of way. It is much worse than that. They are struggling in the 'we may not survive this' way. The first hammer blow comes in the form of Labour's changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs). From April 1st, the rate rises from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent, while the threshold for contributions drops from £9,100 to £5,000. The British Chambers of Commerce estimates that nearly a million businesses – overwhelmingly SMEs – will be forced to make difficult choices as a result. Some will cut back hiring. Others will slash wages or working hours. Many will simply close. Take the case of one local restaurateur I spoke with. He is a man who has spent 20 years building up his business. He told me he will have to entirely shut one of his three branches. The others, meanwhile, will have to cut their opening hours simply to cope with the sheer weight of staffing costs. For employers in sectors like retail and hospitality – where payroll is a huge proportion of overheads – this will be devastating. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that these changes alone will add nearly 2 per cent to payroll costs. For an employee on a £50,000 salary, that's an extra £1,106 per year in tax for the employer. This will lead to a slower economy, a weaker labour market, and fewer opportunities – particularly for those on low wages. Labour claims to be the party of workers. In fact it is actively sabotaging the very businesses that employ them. And if the NIC hike was a kick in the stomach, Labour's Employment Rights Bill is a strangulation. It is a trade unionist's dream; it is written in the language of 1980s class warfare. Listening to Labour MPs in Parliament this week, you could be forgiven for thinking that Arthur Scargill was about to triumphantly march through the chamber. Their worldview remains binary: bosses bad, workers good. And this Bill is a revenge fantasy that punishes employers for a variety of imagined sins. The measures are staggering in their economic illiteracy. Day-one unfair dismissal rights for employees – once a safeguard earned after two years of service – will now be automatic. This means small business owners, already facing punishing tax hikes, will also find it harder to dismiss underperforming staff. They will think twice before hiring anyone at all. For those using zero-hours contracts – a lifeline in sectors like hospitality – Labour has also decided to interfere. SMEs will be forced to guarantee hours after just 12 weeks of work. At the same time they will be hit with compensation costs for last-minute shift changes. The reality of this will be fewer flexible jobs and fewer work opportunities for young people. The Government's own impact assessment is damning: £5 billion in new costs for businesses over the next decade. The Regulatory Policy Committee rated the Bill as 'not fit for purpose.' And then there is the naked power grab for the unions. Labour is handing them everything they have ever wanted. The minimum notice period for strikes is being cut from 14 to 10 days; this makes it even harder for businesses to plan ahead. Strike mandates will now last for a year instead of 6 months – effectively ensuring prolonged disruption. Union officials will also be given greater access to workplaces. This gives them free rein to organise and agitate. The results will be predictable: more strikes, less productivity, greater costs for business. At a time when Britain needs to be leaner, more competitive and more flexible, Labour is doing the opposite – dragging us back to the sclerotic economic model of the past. And yet, when challenged on this, Angela Rayner couldn't name a single business that supports the Bill. Not one. The silence was deafening. That's not because businesses are shy about their view – it is because Labour has waged open war on them. The consequences of these policies will be severe. Hiring freezes, closures, job losses, inflationary pressures – Labour is setting up Britain for economic ruin. Will they realise before it's too late? Or will they continue their crusade against the very businesses that keep this country running?
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Labour is waging an open war on businesses
Whenever I speak to small business owners in Fareham and Waterlooville – or anywhere across the country, for that matter – the conversation quickly turns to how they are coping under the new Labour Government. From cafés and pubs to dry cleaners and hairdressers, the story is the same: they are struggling. And not in a vague 'times are tough' sort of way. It is much worse than that. They are struggling in the 'we may not survive this' way. The first hammer blow comes in the form of Labour's changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs). From April 1st, the rate rises from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent, while the threshold for contributions drops from £9,100 to £5,000. The British Chambers of Commerce estimates that nearly a million businesses – overwhelmingly SMEs – will be forced to make difficult choices as a result. Some will cut back hiring. Others will slash wages or working hours. Many will simply close. Take the case of one local restaurateur I spoke with. He is a man who has spent 20 years building up his business. He told me he will have to entirely shut one of his three branches. The others, meanwhile, will have to cut their opening hours simply to cope with the sheer weight of staffing costs. For employers in sectors like retail and hospitality – where payroll is a huge proportion of overheads – this will be devastating. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that these changes alone will add nearly 2 per cent to payroll costs. For an employee on a £50,000 salary, that's an extra £1,106 per year in tax for the employer. This will lead to a slower economy, a weaker labour market, and fewer opportunities – particularly for those on low wages. Labour claims to be the party of workers. In fact it is actively sabotaging the very businesses that employ them. And if the NIC hike was a kick in the stomach, Labour's Employment Rights Bill is a strangulation. It is a trade unionist's dream; it is written in the language of 1980s class warfare. Listening to Labour MPs in Parliament this week, you could be forgiven for thinking that Arthur Scargill was about to triumphantly march through the chamber. Their worldview remains binary: bosses bad, workers good. And this Bill is a revenge fantasy that punishes employers for a variety of imagined sins. The measures are staggering in their economic illiteracy. Day-one unfair dismissal rights for employees – once a safeguard earned after two years of service – will now be automatic. This means small business owners, already facing punishing tax hikes, will also find it harder to dismiss underperforming staff. They will think twice before hiring anyone at all. For those using zero-hours contracts – a lifeline in sectors like hospitality – Labour has also decided to interfere. SMEs will be forced to guarantee hours after just 12 weeks of work. At the same time they will be hit with compensation costs for last-minute shift changes. The reality of this will be fewer flexible jobs and fewer work opportunities for young people. The Government's own impact assessment is damning: £5 billion in new costs for businesses over the next decade. The Regulatory Policy Committee rated the Bill as 'not fit for purpose.' And then there is the naked power grab for the unions. Labour is handing them everything they have ever wanted. The minimum notice period for strikes is being cut from 14 to 10 days; this makes it even harder for businesses to plan ahead. Strike mandates will now last for a year instead of 6 months – effectively ensuring prolonged disruption. Union officials will also be given greater access to workplaces. This gives them free rein to organise and agitate. The results will be predictable: more strikes, less productivity, greater costs for business. At a time when Britain needs to be leaner, more competitive and more flexible, Labour is doing the opposite – dragging us back to the sclerotic economic model of the past. And yet, when challenged on this, Angela Rayner couldn't name a single business that supports the Bill. Not one. The silence was deafening. That's not because businesses are shy about their view – it is because Labour has waged open war on them. The consequences of these policies will be severe. Hiring freezes, closures, job losses, inflationary pressures – Labour is setting up Britain for economic ruin. Will they realise before it's too late? Or will they continue their crusade against the very businesses that keep this country running? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
