SIR – Hindsight being a wonderful thing, I wonder if the miners’ mouthpiece Arthur Scargill of yesteryear would have done things differently if he knew how things were going to pan out for him in later years.

It is ironic one of his sparring partners of the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher, should be in the headlines due to her failing health and Arthur having a battle with his union colleagues over his London flat and expenses.

We must never forget that Arthur fought tooth and nail for his members – it is down to him that we still have a coal industry in this country. He stood up to Maggie’s bull at a gate tactics.

We can all look back and say why didn’t we do things differently. But I admire Mr Scargill for sticking to his principles.

As for Mrs Thatcher, she was a great leader of her party until some of her colleagues decided to stab her in the back.

Joe McHugh, Fairfax Flats, Otley