Letter: Balance sheet all on the debit side as 30,000 British miners see their jobs destroyed

Sir: Many of us feel that Arthur Scargill is to some extent responsible for the demise of the coal industry in recent years - indeed, he is, even now, considering a strike that will put the last nail in the coffin. Virtually all of us, however, feel that the electricity industry cannot be allowed to destroy the coal industry and put 30,000 miners out of work.

May I suggest a 'National Switch-Off Day' as a protest - picking a Sunday on which we all use as little electricity as possible and if necessary using our neighbour's gas stoves or dusting off old camping gear. This may teach the electricity generators that even the best advertising campaign is a less powerful influence than the loss of 30,000 jobs.

Yours faithfully,

JOHN CORMACK

Woodham Ferrers, Essex

14 October