Scargill and the Miners

Between 1971 and the present day the NUM changed radically. Prior to that there had not been a single national miners' strike since 1926, and for decades the union had been dominated by the Right. The catalyst was a young face worker from Yorkshire who almost single-handedly masterminded a programme of political awareness and union militancy. One of the bitterest ever, the latest national strike could be said to be a brilliant example of his organisational strategic tactics. Michael Crick has written a clear, sane appraisal of Scargill the man, his background, politics and the objectives, and of the union he has so dramatically brought to the forefront of national life.