JIMMY TAYLOR pinned all the blame on Margaret Thatcher for the decline of Easington due to its pit closure (HAS, Sept 28).
He mentions that he worked at Mainsforth, Thrislington, Blackhall and Easington collieries in various roles. I am surprised that in the case of Thrislington and Mainsforth collieries he makes no mention of Harold Wilson’s government, which closed both of these pits in 1967-68 and, in doing so, devastated the Ferryhill area.
It must just be convenient for him and his ilk to slate the Tories while ignoring the fact that Mrs Thatcher’s tenure led to the closure of approximately 160 pits while just under 300 were closed during the governments of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.
Mr Wilson’s advanced pit closure plans were highlighted in the Echo Memories looking back front page section recently (Echo, Sept 28).
The Labour Party, the Tory party and the NUM are all ultimately to blame for the pit closures.
Mark Anderson, Middleton St George.
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