the myth of workers' control arthur scargill

The view that the failure to call a National Ballot, by Scargill, cost him valuable support is advocated by Shirley Letwin; Nor did he bother to abide by his own unions rules which required that a strike shall be entered upon as the result of a ballot vote of the members.[1] This led to the miners losing the support of many, including Labour Partys- Neil Kinnock, who felt emotionally disposed to support the miners but aware that it would be political suicide to do so[2]. [31] Campbell, John. Can you add one ? Margaret Thatcher. Accessed October 12, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Benn. In any case, the will of the people has decided the UK will leave, we have even had a General Election over the matter. RewriteBase / A former Labour Party member, Scargill is now leader of the Socialist Labour Party (SLP), founded by him in 1996. Letwins Thatcherite view is also discredited by Tony Benn who says The issue of a national ballot was really irrelevant. Was this national or local? Accessed October 10, 2018. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3815426/. Somerset: Routledge, 2018. On the 20th of July 1984, Thatcher gave a speech to the 1922 committee where she deemed the miners as the enemy within going on to say We had to fight the enemy without, in the Falklands. London: Vintage, 2008. Uncategorized > the myth of workers' control arthur scargill. March 07, 2009. I suggest to this Conference that we have coal mines with us but they did something about this problem: they closed them down. The striking miners didnt have the support of the Nottinghamshire miners, dock workers or even the Labour Party, including Neil Kinnock, and many historians believe that the strikes failure was down to the fact that it was so poorly supported; such as Eric Evans who takes the mainstream media view and believed the appearance of a much more conciliatory breakaway union representing the profitable East Midlands mining arealed to collapse of the strike[12] This we know to be true as the Nottinghamshire miners alone produced 25% of the Nations coal. In his diary he documents the battle at Orgreave on Monday 18th of June, 1984; Ive never seen so many of our lads altogether, it brought tears to my eyes[16]. Accessed October 11, 2018. [51] Scargill criticised Poland's Solidarity calling it an "anti-socialist organisation which desires the overthrow of a socialist state", which Scargill saw as deformed but reformable. July 31, 2013. One of the main planks of his platform was to give more power to union conferences than to executive meetings, on the grounds that the former were more democratic. Are you using WordPress? In May 2009, he was a candidate for the Socialist Labour Party for one of London's seats in the European Parliament. [4] He joined the Young Communist League in 1955, becoming its Yorkshire District Chair in 1956 and shortly after a member of its National Executive Committee. He used the NUM for his own advancement, and ended up thinking he was bigger than the Union and everything else. After the miners' strike, Scargill was elected to lifetime presidency of the NUM by an overwhelming national majority, in a controversial election in which some[who?] Clearly, Scargill did fall out of favour with the Socialist movement, perhaps because it became evident that he was only happy when he was in the limelight. This strengthens Milnes argument that the police brutality, authorised by Thatcher, was unjustified. This Mainstream media view holds that the strike failed because of Scargills extreme beliefs and bad decisions. Barnsley: Wharncliffe, 2002. On platforms that enforce case-sensitivity PNG and png are not the same locations. [31] In addition, it was alleged that he had taken 1,000,000 of cash donated by the Soviet Union for the Welsh miners and placed it in a Dublin bank account for the "International Miners' Organisation", where it stayed until a year after the strike had finished. (1980), Scargill, Arthur, [34] Scargill accepted Lightman's statement that many of his actions suffered from a lack of professional advice, which he was unwilling to be bound by. [18] Still the Enemy Within (2014). IMDb. I think people would be astounded if they knew that."[42]. He had a powerful speaking capability which garnered much passionate support from those who watched or saw his speeches. He cannot resist pointing out parallels in all times and places. In this example the file must be in public_html/example/Example/. Therefore government preparations was definitely a factor in the failure of the miners strike but to what extent, can be argued. London: Pan Books, an Imprint of Pan Macmillan, 2017. [38] Thatcher, Margaret. A secret record is kept of the time at which all workers arrive and leave each day. [41], In 1993, Scargill tried to use Thatcher's flagship Right to Buy scheme to buy a flat on the Barbican estate in central London. This article, far from being full of lies, hit the nail, well and truly, on the head. Person/Body (Historic): A. Taylor & Sons Ltd. ",confirmEmpty: "Are you sure you want to empty your clipboard? [16] One branch of the NUM, at Annesley in Nottinghamshire, put forward a vote of no confidence in Scargill in autumn 1983 following his comments on these matters, but Scargill defeated this at a December meeting and won a vote of confidence instead. Harpercollins Publishers, 2012. The Truth of Nacods Shameful Sell-out. The Guardian. Scargill's first mistake was refusing to call a National Ballot . This is because had the NUM come out nationally in favour of the strike, Nottinghamshire area would have won permission for its own ballot and remained at work. . S.l. [16] Wakefield, Arthur, and Brian Elliot. For other uses, see, Early political and trade union activities. [11] Benn, Tony. Milne explains how the strike was a last-ditch fight to defend jobs, mining communities and the NUM itself against a government prepared to bring into play unlimited resources and its entire panoply of coercive powers as and where necessary to break the union and its backbone of support[22]. Bone figurines of waterbirds made about 16,000 B. C., which were found in Mal'ta in Siberia, share the symbolism of the wild gander . It's easy to mock Arthur Scargill. Accessed January 06, 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/mar/07/arthur-scargill-miners-strike. Arrow, 1994. [25] Thatcher, Margaret. That's what I believe". Yet he was a trade union leader who helped lead a strike that brought down a Tory government (1974) and correctly understood that Thatcher was out to smash the unions and that they needed to fight back. [9] At the subsequent enquiry, he used notebooks of underground working from the 19th century, retrieved from the Institute of Geological Sciences in Leeds, to argue that the National Coal Board could have prevented the disaster had they acted on the information available. Still the Enemy Within (2014). IMDb. This shows that even someone who takes the traditional mainstream media view, that because of Scargills actions the strike was poorly supported and doomed to fail, you cant deny the amount of support that the miners had. Nicholas Ridley conveys the mainstream media view that the failure of the strike was due to sufficient preparations for the strike by the government and out rightly says He might have won at Orgreave if it hadnt been for the preparations that the Government had made. Accessed October 10, 2018. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3815426/. His father, Harold, was a miner and a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain. September 09, 2018. Airport staff at Leeds-Bradford Airport identified Scargill attempting to travel under a false name (Arthur Fenn) wearing a disguise on 20 July, and turned him away to purchase a genuine ticket with his true identity. Travis, Alan. ." It is a world of despair, of ashes, and coldness, and darkness, and the setting acts as a . Scargill never balloted NUM members for a strike; this was seen as an erosion of democracy within the union, but the role of ballots in decision-making had been made very unclear after previous leader, Joe Gormley, had ignored two ballots over wage reforms, and his decisions had been upheld after appeals to court were made. Page 150-152, [2] Campbell, John. [47], In 1996, Scargill founded the Socialist Labour Party after the Labour Party abandoned the original wording of Clause IV advocating the public democratic ownership[48] of key industries and utilities from their constitution. 100 0 _ a Arthur Scargill c British trade unionist (born 1938) 100 1 _ a Scargill, Arthur d (1938- ). . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Arguably, one of the most important factors in the failure of the Miner's Strike in 1984 was the leadership of the head of NUM, Arthur Scargill. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the trade union movement. T he council chamber at the Barnsley HQ of the National Union of Mineworkers is a jaw-dropping sight: a huge, oak-panelled room, draped with banners that were once kept at collieries across. However, Lawson then goes on to say The violent tactics used by the NUM pickets reopened the issue of Who governs Britain?. When you have a missing image on your site you may see a box on your page with with a red X where the image is missing. UK | Politics | Head to Head: The Miners Strike. BBC News. "[40] Scargill complained to the Advertising Standards Authority who criticised the advertisement as "highly distasteful". The Enemy Within: The Secret War against the Miners. [58][59] Scargill's appearance on the picket line was alluded to by Prime Minister Boris Johnson the next day at Prime Minister's Questions, accusing the Labour Party of "literally holding hands with Arthur Scargill". Scargill, once the hero of the miners, now cuts a rather sad, isolated figure and this is a complex post-1985 story. In 2012, the flat was valued at 1,500,000, and had 24/7 access to concierge services. Shirley Letwin takes the mainstream media view that Arthur Scargills incompetence as a leader caused the miners strike to fail. A History of Modern Britain. Page 473. Dont forget that Labours manifesto at Kinnocks last election included a policy of leaving the bloc, and who knows what t was under Corbyn. (1988), Trade unions and politics : thatchers assault on the unions ; the unions response, Kahn, Peggy, However, Evans fails to mention how campaigning in Nottinghamshire was successful and how the pickets won over many workers until the police eventually intervened. However, another reason that many people blame Scargill for the downfall of the miners is due to the fact that Scargill authorised the flying picket strategy in order to stop miners going to work. Because of Scargills actions, the strike was illegal, poorly supported and doomed to failure given the level of government preparations. London: Pan Books, an Imprint of Pan Macmillan, 2017. [23] BATTLE FOR BRITAIN; on the 25th Anniversary of the Miners Strike, NORMAN TEBBIT Reveals Why He Believes Defeat Would Have Been the Death of Democracy. Daily Mail (London), March 6, 2009. If it wasnt for Thatchers continued support for the Nottinghamshire miners, the strike would have had their support which may have been vital in the success of the strike. The Labour Party was opposed to membership of the EU to begin with wasn't it, so what happened, are its current membership more enlightened. In 1973, Scargill was elected to the full-time post of compensation agent in the Yorkshire NUM. By not calling a National Ballot the strike rapidly gained support. [6] Marr, Andrew. The Making of Neil Kinnock. The Anatomy of Thatcherism. Neil Kinnock even compared Scargill with a general who wanted another Gallipoli[3]. Study for free with our range of university lectures! An article published in The Times in August 2015 stated that Scargill had spoken to the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union conference in June 2015, and that he was due to appear alongside Jeremy Corbyn at the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign in September 2015. Arthur Scargill. : A Review of Literature on the 1984/5 Miners' Strike. [18], Miners were split between those who supported the strike and those who opposed it (see Union of Democratic Mineworkers). Page 341. He lost on both occasions, winning 2.4% of the vote in Hartlepool at the 2001 general election. Arthur Scargill was in attendance but it was noteworthy (and significant) that he remained a peripheral figure being greeted by only a few of those attending. However, it can be argued that government preparations werent sufficient enough in order to bring down the miners. "Our communities are now just about dead on their feet." The strike started in Yorkshire in March . But my father never forced me to be involved in politics at all.[5]. Although he never worked at Barrow Colliery in his home village, he was involved in the politics of the branch, where the membership was much more left-wing than in the conservative Woolley Colliery. In fact, stocks were much higher[27]. The Enemy Within: M15, Maxwell and the Scargill Affair. He had been a Communist and retained strong Marxist views and a penchant for denouncing anyone who disagreed with him as a traitor Scargill had indeed been elected by a vast margin and he set about turning the NUM's once moderate executive into a reliably militant group By adopting a position that no pits should be closed on economic grounds, even if the coal was exhausted more investment would always find more coal, and from his point of view, the losses were irrelevant he made sure confrontation would not be avoided. He stepped down from leadership of the NUM at the end of July 2002, to become the honorary president. We also know that lots of support groups popped up to encourage the miners on in their fight. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! Ridley may have been trying to take credit for the failure of the strike by saying that the strike failed due to the governments preparations that included the plan he came up with. Arthur Wakefield, a striking miner, presents the Marxist view that the failure of the strike couldnt have been down to the lack of support and instead must have been due to other factors. His mother, Alice (ne Pickering), was a professional cook. [43] In February 2012, Scargill won 13,000 in a court action against the NUM, primarily for car expenses, and for the earlier temporary denial of membership. "It was Thatcher's legislation, actually giving council tenants the right to buy their own houses. First shown: 06/. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. Many people argue that government preparations led to the failure of the strike. By 1984 however the police were ready and neutralized the tactic with superior force. The myth of workers' control by Arthur Scargill 0 Ratings 0 Want to read 0 Currently reading 0 Have read Overview View 2 Editions Details Reviews Lists Related Books Publish Date 1980 Publisher University of Leeds, University of Nottingham Language English Pages 22 This edition doesn't have a description yet. Read online at https://workersliberty.org/node/34498, Submitted by AWL on 18 September, 2019 - 11:48, Letters: Hands off Clara Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg, Holodomor: the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33, Tubeworker (London Underground) (bulletin), Off the Rails (national rail workers) (bulletin), Off the Rails (national rail workers) (blog), Notts Off the Rails (Nottingham rail workers) (bulletin), On Guard (Sheffield rail workers) (bulletin). Free resources to assist you with your university studies! Page 346. vufindString = {bulk_email_success: "Your item(s) were e-mailed",bulk_save_success: "Your item(s) were saved successfully",close: "close",loading: "Loading",sms_success: "Message sent. [37], The South Wales area leader, Des Dutfield, moved that Scargill should stand down and face re-election, but the motion was defeated. We also remember his relatively principled role within the UK labour movement of the 1970s and 80s. Page 18. This is unfair as after the NCB accidently announced pit closures, the strike gained momentum very quickly forcing Scargill to just go along with it. He led an unofficial strike in 1969, and played a key organising role during strikes of 1972 and 1974, the latter of which played a part in the downfall of Edward Heath's Conservative government. Arthur Scargill and Peggy Kahn. Accessed October 12, 2018. Amazingly the electorate resent being told they're either racist or stupid or both, if the remain campaign had been more mature in it's approach, almost certainly a different decision would have been reached. [24] Letwin, Shirley Robin. On platforms that enforce case-sensitivity example and Example are not the same locations. Love him or hate him a lot that Mr Scargill and the Minors stood against in the1970/80s has now come to fruition, the uprise ofThatcherism,greed is good, stand on your neighbour to get a head! He had no means of calling a strike in Yorkshire.[27]. Yet he still gives credit to Thatcher and her government for their actions during the strike which legitimises his view. In 1958, he attended the World Federation of Trade Unions youth congress in Prague. [39] Benn, Tony. Notice that the CaSe is important in this example. RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L] If you have already uploaded the file then the name may be misspelled or it is in a different folder. [32] An internal NUM report by Gavin Lightman QC found that Scargill had used some of the Libyan money to pay for improvements to his bungalow but not to pay off his mortgage (as had been alleged),[33] and stated that Scargill's failure to make a full report on the Soviet money donated for the Welsh miners was "a remarkable breach of duty" and that he should repay the money back to the NUM. Arthur Scargill (born 11 January 1938) [1] is a British trade unionist who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1982 to 2002. Perhaps theyre embarrassed by this reminder of how the Stalinist and reformist left squandered the power and influence it once had in British politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. Arguably, one of the most important factors in the failure of the Miners Strike in 1984 was the leadership of the head of NUM, Arthur Scargill. Margaret Thatcher: From Grocers Daughter to Iron Lady. [22] Milne, Seumas. Page 39. When working with WordPress, 404 Page Not Found errors can often occur when a new theme has been activated or when the rewrite rules in the .htaccess file have been altered. Scargill subsequently decided to move to Sheffield, and said that he had spoken to each member of staff to ask them to move to Sheffield. Add the following snippet of code to the top of your .htaccess file: # BEGIN WordPress Downing Street Years. Without their support, victory for the miners looked uncertain as they were the best paid, with better conditions promised by Thatcher[13]. [52], The Guardian in February 2014 said that Scargill had become a recluse. Page 39. Redirects and rewriting URLs are two very common directives found in a .htaccess file, and many scripts such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla and Magento add directives to the .htaccess so those scripts can function. Accessed October 11, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/jan/07/guardianletters4. [19] The NUM had previously held three ballots on a national strike, all of which rejected the proposal: 55% voted against in January 1982, and 61% voted against in both October 1982 and March 1983.[20]. Person/Body (Historic): Kahn, Peggy. If like me you lived through that period of the early seventies, constant strike action, the mid seventies when Britain effectively went bust aided by constant strikes and was branded sick man of Europe going through the winter of discontent where it seemed everybody was on strike, building up to the miners strike in 84/85, you look back and struggle to convince even yourself that we allowed such selfish destructive idealism to ruin the lives of so many in this country. Policy and Terms & Conditions 150-152, [ 2 ] Campbell, John the Party! & quot ; the myth of workers & # x27 ; s first was! Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates the trade union activities garnered much passionate support those! 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