A History Question for the Brits (English?)

[CGM]

Interestingly enougth, the mines were making money, it was political, after the goverment got coal from Germany at £10 a ton dearer, work that one out

Political as in what? The unions need to be brought down a notch or two?

Thats more or less what Reagan did with the Air Traffic Controlers,it wasnt that the demands couldnt have been easily met,it was to show they could do it.

OK, I can see that, except in England miners case case if I read it right, there was some kind of political motive in shutting down the mines, some motive that existed befiore the strike ever got started? And I was hypothesizing that the unions were too powerful for Thatcher's liking even before the big strike. See the difference?