VIDEO: Scargill's bombastic speech at lecture
HUNDREDS of people gave a standing ovation to Arthur Scargill after a rousing speech at a miners' memorial lecture last weekend.
At the David Jones and Joe Green Memorial Lecture at Barnsley's Miners' Offices on Saturday, the former National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) leader delivered a passionate speech to about 400 people.
"We meet here today to commemorate the lives of two of our comrades who lost their lives 25 years ago, fighting for one of the noblest causes that this class has ever known," he told the audience.
Yorkshire miner David Jones, 23, was killed on the Ollerton picket line on 15th March, 1984, after he was hit by a brick. His death sent shockwaves throughout the mining community.
Further tragedy ensued when, on 15th June, the strike claimed its second victim. Joe Green, a 55-year-old miner from Kellingley Colliery in North Yorkshire, was crushed to death by a lorry while on picket duty outside Ferrybridge power station.
Scargill said: "15,000 Yorkshire miners, and miners from all over Britain, came to the funerals of both David and Joe. All those lads who striked, and their women, they were the friends of David and Joe. They will live on in our hearts, in our memories, in our history, as martyrs of this movement, who gave and paid the ultimate price – we will never forget them."
"The feeling amongst people today is not only that we were right in 1984/5, but the legacy of that is now being displayed in unemployment, lay-offs and credit crisis. We're bankrupt, we have closed all our major industries," said Scargill, NUM honorary president.
"The Notts pits, where the scabs walked in, have all been closed but two. 32 pits closed in a coalfield promised it would be kept open if they worked – that's the price of collaboration."
"But let's not forget one thing. That whilst all those miners in Notts refused to join the strike, 30 per cent of Notts miners did join the strike, and they were among the bravest of us," Scargill said to an eruption of applause.
He went on to say that the 12-month strike transformed many miners into working-class heroes, and that they will forever be remembered for fighting to safeguard the future of the mining industry.
He said: "Without people standing up and defying an unjust law, none of us would be in this hall today to be commemorating and celebrating what I consider the greatest victory of the miners' strike – the struggle itself – which brought heroes from all corners of our union and the movement, right to the fore."
"I say to you, you played your part, you the younger people are the inheritors of that struggle. For my part, it was a privilege to be present and to lead it."
Mark Jones, the father of David Jones, took to the stage and delivered a heartfelt speech about his son and the legacy of the strike.
"Friends, we are here today to remember David and Joe, and not only David and Joe, we are also here for Fred Matthews who died in 1972 on the picket line, and there were 10 others who died during the strike," said Mark.
He added: "Thank you for being what you are, thank you for being who you are, and thank you for being here today, but one last thought. In years to come, when you will have to knock on the pearly gates and a voice says, 'what did you do in the 1984 strike?' Just look at him, straight in the eyes and say, 'I stood up, and I was counted', and be proud of yourselves," he said to a standing ovation.
Scargill laid a wreath at the foot of a memorial statue outside the miners' offices. On the message card, he wrote: "A tribute to two heroes of the NUM and the working class, David and Joe. They paid the ultimate price – I pledge they will never be forgotten."
And the message written on a wreath from David Jones's family said: "Still missing you. Tears may have gone from our eyes, but are still in our hearts."
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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