The demise of Coal Mining in the UK

For generations, the stalwart miners of the UK literally "kept the home-fires burning" and kept the wheels of industry turning through wars and recessions.

However, we cannot, today, rely on a steady supply of UK coal to fuel our insatiable appetite for digital communication, online shopping, online everything during the COVID19 pandemic - why not?

ARTHUR SCARGILL DOING AN IMPRESSION OF KING CANUTE.

Was it all the fault of "Milk snatcher Thatcher?"  I hear you ask.

NO

It was a combination of many factors in the 1980s (in no particular order of importance):

1. The growing power of the Mining Unions that threatened the more flexibile labour market hopes of the Conservative Government.
2. The far-sighted (at that time) thinking that we needed to use a cleaner source of energy in the future.
3. The demand from households for gas, electric and oil fired heating, rather than for inconvenient and dirty coal.
4. Health and Safety concerns that would make traditional coal mining uneconomic.
5. The huge supplies of coal available from other parts of the world.

The list could go on.

Now, how many of my three readers think that I'm really talking about online learning in Higher Education?

Answers addressed to your own VC please.