Letter: The mines: effects of closure on the economy, the environment and individual lives

Sir: In both Russia and Britain, governments have substituted political dogma for economic policy. However, it took 75 years for Leninism and Stalinism to destroy the Russian economy, which never was very strong. Clearly Thatcherism works faster.

Now our only hope is to get rid of this Thatcherite government and give the electorate the chance to come to its senses in a new general election. But will those Conservative MPs who are now talking sense about their government's policies have the courage to put country before party and enter the division lobbies with the Opposition? Regretfully, I doubt it.

Yours faithfully,

ERNEST RUDD

York