Marching to the Fault Line

The 1984 Miners' strike was one of the defining moments in modern British history.Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was determined to transform Britain and break the power of the Unions. On March 5, steered by the leader of the NUM, Arthur Scargill, the miners decided to protest the closures and called for industrial action.Over the next eleven months, Britain would be dragged to the precipice of civil war as violence and resentment spilled out along the picket lines and on the streets. Thatcher was convinced to the end that the government might fall. However, the final defeat of the protest would mark the end of a way of life for hundreds of thousands as Attlee's vision of a welfare state, trade unions and strong government was replaced by Thatcher's Britain.In Marching to the Fault Line leading journalists Francis Beckett and David Hencke have unrivalled access to key government and union players at the heart of the story, they have also uncovered material that the powerful would have liked to remain secret., including 'dirty tricks' and secret payments, jaw dropping incompetence, back biting, and double dealing. From Downing Street to the picket lines, this book will reveal the true story behind the strike.Praise for The Blairs and their Court'Hugely entertaining.' Roy Hattersley'A fascinating book.' Daily Mail'An exceptional and well-researched piece of work.' Tribune'A fascinating read.' TES