> Miners' leader Arthur Scargill is to stand against fallen cabinet > minister Peter Mandelson at the next general election. > Mr Scargill plans to stand in Hartlepool as a candidate for the > Socialist Labour Party, for which he is general secretary. > > Mr Mandelson has a majority of more than 17,000 votes in the seat, > but pundits are predicting his support is waning following his > resignation as Northern Ireland Secretary. > > He was forced to quit last week amidst a row over his involvement in > Srichand Hinduja's passport application. > > Speaking on Friday, Mr Scargill said the government's policies on the > NHS, education and housing were "disastrous". > > Mr Mandelson, who aides say is still out of the country, welcomed Mr > Scargill's challenge in a statement issued by his parliamentary > office. > > > "This is the first good piece of news I have had for some while," Mr > Mandeslon said. > > "Arthur Scargill is the man who destroyed the British coal industry > single-handedly and betrayed every working man and woman in Britain > in the process. > > "I am happy to debate the future of the left with him and champion > the achievements of the most successful Labour Government in the > party's history." > > Euro opponent > > Mr Scargill is also an outspoken opponent of the European Union and > in particular the single currency. > > He has described the European Commission as "unelected, unaccountable > and openly corrupt" and believes signing up to the euro would > increase poverty and unemployment. > > Mr Scargill took the National Union of Miners through the 1984-1985 > strike. > > His party was set up in 1996 as a socialist alternative to New Labour > and was partly inspired by Labour's decision to ditch its > constitutional commitment to nationalisation, as outlined in clause > 4. > > > > BBC > > > ------------------------
