Keith A of Hartford. MtheGM's latest posting is further proof if further proof were needed, that he has fallen completely out of his tree.

As I recall it, MtheGM accused me of all people of being anti-semitic. Yes that's right. The very person who has been abused, spat at and threatened with physical violence by the anti-semitic far right. My retaliation to MtheGM was that, if we ever met I would give him an earful (or some such) that he wouldn't forget in a hurry.

I meant, and MtheGM knows that I meant, that I'd shout his bloody ears off. I did not mean that I would resort to violence. In point of fact though, I feel that recourse to violence would have been fully justified, following an insult like that.

Now, can we ignore the ridiculous Michael Grosvenor-Myer and his unceasing attempts to score points against anyone he dislikes and get back to the point of this thread. IE., the lies which Thatcher told over the pit closures and doubtless on many other subjects.

BTW., Regarding the state of emergency which Thatcher was ready to declare, and which would have involved the use of troops. There is a persistent story, I'm tempted to call it an urban legend, that some of the police on the picket lines were actually soldiers in police uniform.

I've always been inclined to dismiss this as unsubstantiated rumouring, on the grounds that even Thatcher couldn't have withstood the outcry if that one had got out. However, I was talking to someone who claims it has been reliably documented in a book about the miners' strike. Does anybody know the name of the book, or can furnish further information?