Idle class respectability. of its 3 pits rise like ghostly mirages from the flat cabbage fields, observed by blank-eyed sheep. Near Deal, rudely scarred by the heap.
The men who work far below these fields for our coal were gathered together in this spot during the depression. Driven and ployment they travelled SUUlIl, sullellics foot, Scotland, Wales and the North and from across the Irish Sea. After the war others came from Poland.
United by the need to sell their muscle power and mining skill, they pecullar unique culture from the dialects and languages of their past. The local populace saw them as LOUDIC. as indeed many WCIC victimised militants, rebels and gypsies.
Deep their deep strongholds, they developed a reputation for toughness. In the war when Ine National Government and Communist Party said 'more production they said 'fuck production' and downed tools. When their Tenders were imprisoned they surrounded Canterbury jail, with their families until they were released to a heroes welcome.
Jack Collins, Kent Area NUM Secretary The winding gears the postcard scenery is Betteshanger slagthe '72 and '74 miners they played a vital role, sending out squads of flying pickels to lne power stations of North Kent and 1 hev even sent a fleet of pickets up the Unofficial I hames. leaders were thrown up, positions the local union leadership.
Again The Tories Thatcher tried to move aans acm once aralli. and last week the Bettershanger defending the jobs their comrades the Snowdown pit, and ultimately their own jobs, too.
Terry Harrison, secretary of Betteshangel branch, explained how the strike spread to Kent: 'There was pressure from South Wales, who were threatening to send flying pickets to shut down Kent. Kent miners wouldn't tolerate that... so we took a decision to come out.... An injury to one is an injury to all... The decision came fron a mass meeting of 600 which was unanimous.
John Moyle, the Kent Miners president issued a statement saying that his members stations nicker would powel fiance OI the Tory Employment Act. If any nicker was imprisoned they would intensify The miners reject all about the economic unviability Snowdown. Terry Hareconomic and political problem: 'The spending of £15 billion on nuclear energy and f5 billion on Cruise missiles is insanity. We need a change of government.
The effect of closing Snowdown would be to lop f2½m from the East Kent economy. It would cost £5m year IO maintain the unemployed. So now the local so hostile recognise that the miners are fighting in the terest of the whole population.
picket headquarters Magness House in Deal a group of miners Oscussed issues during the strike The included: Terry Harrison (branch Dave Smith (committee member), Snowdown colliery — the Coal Board want to close it Norman Mcsloy, Bill Martin, Dave Pinkney, Paul Westie, Lennie In Dave Newall and Mick Morgan.
These were among their remarks:
"The Tories are out to get us, but calculated. With the steel WULKCES and Leyland they launched a sustain.
media attack first They tried to take us by sunrise. give ll now, they'll pick us off one by one. t's a class issue, it's a class struggle.
'We've already lost 6,000 the pits in year through natural wastage. Those skills aren't easily replaced If we don't recruit, the pits will die. Teams are shorthanded now, this means working at the face is more dangerous.
'Unemployment is a threat us all. brother-in-law was laid off from ine back Con pany at 33 He's worked ll his life and ha kids to support on £44.73 a week. Now he just sits around he's vegetable' 'Unless we show an interest in the we'll be joining them.' Money 'Yes, the CND's good way to involve the unemployed in a fight. We had a meeting locally to which 500 people turned up. The union offered them money, but they wouldn't take it because they say that they don! want to frighten public opinion.
'There have been Labour Party.
Wembley tory, but its decisions The nembershi of the inions and part as a whole should decide the leader. At the mo ment workers are join ing ward branches There is disagreement over who should be leader and which policies should be adopted, but some strong views are ex pressed: 'The Labour Party is a socialist party working within the. boundaries of a capitalist Benn isn't particularly revolutionary, he's left Labour Party The media makes him into a bogey-man. There have been Labour governments and all the old problems are still there.
'We'd like to influence the Party more at the local level but in aeneral.
workers won't get involved ir politics unless an issue hits them in the face or the pubs to go to.
We'd like to change the leadership of our union and get rid of Gormley and Daley, but they're elected for The left nearly did it a few years back, but they chickened out at the last minute.
The NUM should open its books on the pension fund. The money's been misinvested, they could use it to build houses for the homeless.
'There's much off at the top, even for himself, he hasn't done anything yet, (we con trust him.' 'A local rank and file paper wouldn't be a bad idea, the main problem financial we prefer to do things by mass meetings Hungry The Betteshanger miners aren't hungry or intimidated _ike the! were in 1930s They've experienced decades of relative pro. sperity and a decade o! winning. They're organised, well fed an well educated. They'r confident of victory. social its the closed and their would give in.
'We'll fight to the end. I'm proud of be ing Betteshanger miners. We must leac the way. We've got to For the history of the her Miners and the '72 strike se ne wore on aur Backe and Wishart) £2.95 Socialist Challenge, 26 February 1981 Page 3
creased by 25 per cent last year, according to Labour Weekly.
Between 70,000 80,000 ano are estimated to have joined the party in 1980, bringing the total dividual ( membership to between 335,000 and 365,000.
Swimming against this tide of support for four leave figures reported in last week's Rather than these ine viouas. more serious threat to the left in the Labour Party the formation by memoers the Parliamentary Labour Party of 'Labour Solidarity'. Solidarity, Roy Hattersiey nas once agai confirmed the high opinion has of himself. Once describea as Harolesou Mark Il', Hattersley is probably the most opportunist, careerist portician or all inose in the parliamentary party.
It is ironic that it is ne wino MOST associated the launchina ot what has been described as the 'loyalty the Sensing the move to the left in the party he also beaan to blai down his own rightwing views. He made point of changing the political descrip tion of himselt from a democrat' to democratic socialist Now Roy Hattersley has apparently decided that the best wav Mis career is to present himselt as the heale of Labour's wounds Both he Solidarity grouping are dangers ot which the Labour left needs to be aware. The riaht wing in the labour is noveler beginning to organise a real fight to reverse the decisions the Blackpool and Wembey conferences.
the overwhelming are uniel. against these dividuals is the 70,000plus growth in Labour Party membership in
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THE Kent coalfield is an island of working class stubbornness in a sea of genteel mid-
By Tom Marlowe THE membership of the Labour Party in-