Mining heritage should not be forgotten says Doncaster Labour MP

Former Doncaster Conservative MP Nick Fletcher sparked outrage when he suggested people in the city needed to “move on” from the year-long industrial dispute which pitted Margaret Thatcher’s Government against Arthur Scargill’s National Union of Mineworkers and to stop hating the late Tory Prime Minister.

Doncaster Central Labour MP has praised the city’s mining past during a meeting with ex-miners.

She said: “We have a strong mining heritage in Doncaster that must not be forgotten and I'm proud to represent former mineworkers and their families."

Her comments came after a meeting with British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Trustees to discuss their campaign to transfer the investment reserve fund back to its members.

She added: “I'm proud to support them in their campaign and will continue to lobby the Government to restore justice to BCSSS members.”

Earlier this year, several former mineworkers expressed anger after a senior minister said they would have to wait until later this year to find out if they will receive some of the surplus money in their pension scheme.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in last year's Budget members of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme (MPS) would receive extra payments.

She said it would mean "working people who powered our country receive the fair pension they are owed".

But there was no mention of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS), which includes ex-miners as members along with people who held other roles in the industry.

Former Don Valley MP NIck Fletcher was blasted for saying mining communities need to “forgive and forget,” move on from the bitter 1984-85 dispute and stop hating former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

But his words were met with anger – including from his own supporters – and he has also been rebuked by mining officials for “politicising” a memorial to the strike, which they say is a “sacred space” and a place of remembrance.

Standing alongside an National Union of Mineworkers’ memorial in Hatfield, Mr Fletcher, bidding to unseat Labour mayor Ros Jones at the May mayoral election, said people need to consign the events of the bitter year-long struggle between Mrs Thatcher’s Conservative Government and Arthur Scargill’s NUM to the history books.

He said: “It is time to forgive and forget.

“I understand. I was living in Armthorpe during 84-85.

“I remember families being torn apart, I remember families really struggling.

"I know its difficult and there were lots of bad things happen but it’s time to forgive and forget.”

One told him: “I voted for you but you will never get my vote again. Thatcher killed this country and I was on holiday when she died - we had a great party to celebrate.”

Another said: "Bringing this to the front of people’s eyes before the elections could be a bad move on your behalf.

“In my opinion Yorkshire people and the families this affected will never forgive and most definitely won’t forget.

“She tore communities and families apart with what she did. I may be wrong but I don't think this is going to earn you any brownie points.”

Another told him: “You are asking miners to forget the worse time of their mining lives – it’s never gunna happen. You need to realise what your asking people to do.”

“You are so far removed from the rest of us, it’s unbeliveable,” another told him. “I doubt very much that you know or understand the poverty these pit villages face.

“I doubt that you’ve ever had to work a 40 hour week and then needed to visit a food bank just to make sure your children can eat and I doubt you’ve struggled to put clothes on your children’s back.”

And another wrote: “Nick, I’m pleading with you now for the sake of your own pride, surely you’re not at stupid as you make out to be on Facebook?”

But when challenged, Mr Fletcher simply doubled down on his views and said: “It is time to forgive and forget. We need to move on.”

A spokesman for Hatfield Main Colliery Community Trust attacked Mr Fletcher over filming a video at the memorial in Hatfield and said: “It is deeply concerning when a space meant for reflection and remembrance, such as our miners’ memorial, becomes a platform for political messaging.

"This memorial stands as a testament to the courage, sacrifices, and enduring legacy of the men and women who dedicated their lives to one of the most demanding and dangerous industries.

"It belongs to the families, the community, and the memory of those we have lost—not to political agendas.

“The stories behind this memorial are personal and often painful. They reflect the resilience and strength of our mining communities and the hard-fought battles for safety, rights, and dignity. These narratives transcend political divides, bringing people together rather than driving them apart.

“Politicising such a sacred space diminishes its role as a place of healing and remembrance. It risks alienating those who come here to honour their loved ones and reflect on the history that has shaped our community.

“We respectfully urge all public figures, including politicians, to honor the sanctity of this space by refraining from using it for political statements. Let it remain a unifying symbol – a place where we come together as a community, united by shared history, respect, and remembrance.

“Our miners gave everything for their families and communities. We owe it to them to preserve their memorial as a space of dignity, free from political point scoring.”

It is not the first time Mr Fletcher has come under fire from the mining community.

In 2023, he was forced to back down after claiming a village mining memorial was down to the Conservatives.

The Don Valley MP posed for a selfie in front of the half winding wheel monument in Dunscroft and thanked a Conservative parish councillor for ‘making the concept happen.’

But furious locals turned on the MP for ‘making it political’ and telling him that the scheme had been a community project and not just down to one person.