IT gives me no great pleasure to see that my prediction on Wednesday (HAS, Apr 9) was fulfilled by Friday.

David Cameron decided that there was no case for investment to keep two of the last deep mines in Britain open, but there is plenty of money to subsidise bankers, the Common Agricultural Policy and even oppressive Third World governments.

None, however, for our indigenous energy providers.

Soon we will be totally dependent on overseas suppliers.

Like Vladimir Putin.

What a triumph however for the Tory Party! At last they have achieved Mrs Thatcher’s goal – total eradication of “the enemy within”. Final revenge at last for the miners’ role in bringing down Ted Heath’s government.

Will any Tory write in to say how sorry they are to see the disappearance of an industry and the devastation of so many close-knit communities?

If you do, please do not quote “lack of efficiency” at me. Some collieries doubled their output per man during the 1960s and 1970s – a record that few industries can match. But all are now on the scrapheap.

I await a reply, but am not holding my breath.

Bill Bartle, Barnard Castle.