"Trotting out that tired old emotive socialist twaddle is no substitute for reasoned arguement or logic."

Er, actually it is. Your constant evocation of cold hard logic as being the only way to form any sort of government policy is fine until you factor in soft, warm, emotive human beings and then all these arguments become a matter of conscience, pure and simple. So by ignoring the fact actual people are involved, and arguing in a manner which excludes them from any discussion except as statistics or abstract constructs to be shuffled about like counters on a gaming board you avoid the fundamental truth - you don't give a fuck about them (I'm not talking about people you know personally, but everyone else). This is why Thatcher was such an evil cow: she had bypassed her conscience and treated entire industries and populations without giving a toss about the consequences for living, breathing people.

It's the fundament flaw of the right they do not seem to have a conscience; truth is that they might well do and simply do not care (in my experience this is the case). It's why New Labour is the bastard offspring from the unholy union of Thatcher and those ex-socialists corrupted by the capitalist lie of consumerism as the balm for a troubled society and the promotion of a culture of aspiration; those that can't or don't want to be involved are sidelined and treated with the unreasoning disdain of the middle classes and their masters.

It's all about conscience, and how much you're willing to let people suffer.

"Tell us all why British Industry should pay £250/ton for coal when they could get it from elsewhere for £8/ton."

Do you know where this coal comes from and why it cost £8 a ton? Because the people mining it are treated like shit, not allowed to join unions to protect their rights and (in the case of the Columbian coal industry) they are routinely killed for trying to do so. It's cheap because the health and lives of those mining it is deemed cheap.

As for subsidising the coal and steel industries; after the events of the last few months I see no reason why protecting communities (I have a feeling you're not understanding the importance of this point) can't be paid for by the tax payer if the bonuses of the tossers who have brought the economy to it's knees can be.

You know Tezza, these people don't give a fuck about you or me. They don't care you defend them to the hilt, argue in favour of their self-serving policies or justify their outrages against their own (not to mention other) people. They could not give a shit about any of us. You would lay down you life at their behest and they wouldn't blink or lose a moment's sleep.

Come over mate - we care on the left! People first!