Isn't it likely though that even without Thatcher and even with a Labour government, the mines would have been closed and with the same amount of vitriol and discontent? The fact is that we needed at some point to shift the focus onto less expensive and more sustainable production of energy.

And BD when you say playing catch up with nuclear, are you definitely advocating increasing nuclear capability for energy production. It is cleaner in one way but more costly and environmentally damaging in others,as welll of course with a significant element of risk, not least a target for terrorist threats.

Bio fuels and hydrogen power are also increasingly available, and present what some would say the best alternative to nuclear power.

I did think Russia supplied cheaper gas than Norway, hence our dependency on them, however I will do some more research on this before I say more.!