‘Britain on brink of disaster’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33450, 4 February 1974, Page 17

‘Britain on brink of disaster’

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, February 3. While the strike votes of Britain’s 270,000 coalminers are still being counted, the Government is continuing its efforts to head off a devastating shut-down of the mines.

The president of the National Union of Mineworkers, Mr Joe Gormley, will announce the result of the ballot tomorrow. He has predicted overwhelming support for a strike in support of a wage claim which exceeds the maximum permitted under the Government’s anti-inflation regulations.

The Prime Minister (Mr Heath) suggested in a letter to the Leader of the Labour Opposition (Mr Harold Wilson) yesterday that a Royal Commission might be appointed “straight away” to study the miners’ claim. This would bypass the drawn-out procedures which special wage cases must now go through.

The miners have agreed to further negotiations only if more money is offered, but a move to establish quickly some effective machinery to handle the miners’ demands might act as a safety valve: it might prevent the miners’ union executive from ordering a strike, even if the rank-and-file have given a massive vote in support of one. One way or the other, the coming week will bring to a climax Britain’s worst economic crisis since the war. Fresh talks between the Government and the leaders of the powerful Trades Union Congress about a settlement will be crucial. The miners may well be on strike by February 10 if the last-minute peace attempts fail and no doubt there will be renewed speculation about Mr Heath’s calling a General Election. A sombre editorial in the “Observer” today urges both the Government and the unions to give way a little.

“The country will not lightly calculable harm to the life of forgive whichever party is this country as a manufacunwilling to make a reason- turing and trading nation.” able compromise,” it says. Several newspapers say The "Sunday Times” com- that the crisis has already ments: “A prolonged strike brought Britain to the brink by the miners would do in- of disaster.