He was comprehensively outmanouevred and was a significant factor in the demise of the industry.

The connection that Rob has suggested is very interesting but I agree more with Nevermodern in that this was not a necessary, inevitable or planned part of a transition to a service economy but essentially motivated by spite. It certainly appeared that the scabs in the Midlands kept their jobs much longer.

I wonder what they will do with Thatcher's corpse when she finally pushes off, as it will be a bit like Jim Morrison, only it will be a constant queue of people lining up to dance and / or, erm, micturate on it.