coal under the cosh
WORKERS, JANUARY 2004 ISSUE
The expected £60 million subsidy for coal has been cut to £52 million by the government. There is a drip-feed of pennies to just keep coal on the life support machine. Again the funds are EU bribes, not to save the industry but supposedly for new developments. No strategic plan, no consolidating what already exists, just hand to mouth resuscitation.
Still, coal provides 30% of British electricity and the wind farms and small fry generators are not built or on stream yet. So 'King Coal' must be kept alive - for the moment. While the local authorities, the National Union of Miners, the Coal Communities Campaign and the coal owners all continue to try to save the industry, the government washes its hands -- nothing to do with them, it says, blaming the EU.
Near Doncaster a truly monstrous new structure is being built on the grave of the old Manton pit. The skyline is being changed as one of the largest warehouses in Yorkshire is constructed for the new B&Q mega-mega superstore. B&Q are reputed to be investing over £65 million in one superstore and an industry dies all around it.