this is a short power point on miner strike which includes What were the circumstances of incident What was the thinking behind this show of opinions What was the governments response and loads more. hope this helps

1. The Public Voice-
Miners strike 1984-1985
By Chloe Ryall and Shannon Newton

2. What were the circumstances of
incident?
• After a period of relative stability in the second world war and the early
post-war period, the British coal industry (nationalised in 1947)
underwent a massive construction from 700,000 employed in 1957 to
300,000 by 1070 as alternative fuels were used to produce energy.
• Employment generally stabilised for the rest of the 1970s, but the
economic recession of the early 1980s, by cutting the demand of coal,
exposed the less productive pits. An attempt at large-scale closures in
1981 was dropped when unofficial strikes spread rapidly and government
ministers found themselves unprepared to fight at the time.
• in march 1984, when five pits were announced for closure without proper
review, official area strikes started in Yorkshire and Scotland. These where
endorsed by the national union of mineworkers. Executive which called on
other areas to support them. It believed that there was a large hit list of
venerable pits at and a stand had to be taken before the heart was ripped
out of the industry and coal communities were shattered.

3. What was the thinking behind this
show of opinions?
• Individuals went on strike to make a stand to the government
they wanted to show what the effects would be If the miners
wasn’t there. This would show the government how
important their roles were and how vital the society needed
them.
• miners overall wanted to make a stand to help keep and
prevent the risk of losing all pits. They also wanted to make a
stand to help keep thousands of jobs that had no right just to
be stopped.

4. What was the governments response?
• The government mobilised the police from around the
Britain to uphold law by attempting to stop the pickets
preventing the strikebreakers working.
• The government claimed their actions were to uphold
the laws of the land and to safeguard civil rights.
• The government was criticised for abusing its powers
when it ruled that local police might be too
sympathetic to the miners to take action against the
strike instead brought in forces from distant counties.
• The Labour MP’s from Doncaster North and Castleford
and Pontefract both raised concerns in parliament over
suggestions that the police has asked miners held in
custody about their political allegiances.

5. What was the public services
response?
• Many picketers were subject to intimidation and
often violence from the police.
• Police attempted to stop pickets travelling
between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, an
action which led to may protests.
• More than 11,000 people were arrested during
the strike and more than 8,000 were charged-
mostly with breach of the peace and obstruction.
• Police from around Britain attempted to stop
pickets preventing the strikebreakers working.

6. Are the public allowed to protest
against Government decisions?
• Yes the public are allowed to protest against the
Government. There is no issues with protesting as
long as no laws are being broken and the protest
stays peaceful.
• Individual protesters do have certain rights
courtesy of the Human Rights Act: freedom of
expression and freedom of assembly are the two
rights given to all citizens under the Act. This
allows the right for an individual to protest.
• If an individual was not allowed to protest against
the Government then the whole concept of a
democratic society would be called into question.

7. Should the UK Government listen to
public opinions?
• Yes. Without the government listening to the
public we wouldn’t have a democratic society.
Without the government taking on the opinions
and views of the public the government wont
make the right decisions.
• It is morally right for the government to listen to
the publics views because even if they are higher
up they should listen as we are the majority.
• If the government were to not listen to the public
they wouldn’t no what changes to make and how
to make them.

8. Do we have freedom of speech in the
UK?
• Yes however It can be restricted. It may be
legally curtailed in some jurisdictions where
the speech is found to cause religious or racial
offence, such as by the Racial and Religious
Hatred Act 2006. By breaching the Act your
freedom of speech is taken away.
• Freedom of speech is the political right to
communicate someone's opinions and ideas
using someone's body and property to anyone
who is willing to receive them.

9. Is protest ever wrong?
• Sometimes. Protesting isn't wrong if you are
demonstrating your opinions and views in a
controlled manner. However it is wrong when
the protest goes out of control as this
subsequently breaks laws and other Human
Rights.
• If you protest in a calm manner and within
reason protesting isn't wrong.

10. References
• http://archiveshub.ac.uk/features/mar04.sht
ml
• http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2008/11
/04/great-miners-strike-1984-5-twelve-
months-shook-britain-story-strike
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_miners'_strik
e_(1984%E2%80%9385)
• http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25550053