'˜Fighting for fair deal after betrayal'

Yvette Cooper MP thinks the miners at Kellingley have been betrayed.

General Secretary Chris Kitchen and Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper are calling on the government to give the workers extra payouts on top of their statutory redundancy pay.

They claimed in a statement: “It has emerged that the government has accepted the claim by Thoresby miners for an extra payment as a result of failure to consult properly on the pit closure.

“However they have refused the payments for Kellingley miners even though the consultation process was the same and the Kellingley miners were the last to go.”

Mr Kitchen said: “We believe there was not meaningful consultation about Kellingley because there was never a chance of saving the colliery.

“In those circumstances, the men are entitled to an extra payment of up to £3,800.”

Ms Cooper added: “I think the Kellingley miners have been betrayed. This is completely unfair, completely wrong and I think the government needs to change its mind.”