„I first saw Brassed Off – the tale about the troubles faced by a colliery brass band, following the closure of their pit – in June 1997. The story, loosely based on the Grimethorpe Colliery Band was moving but it was Pete Postlethwaite's speech right at the end that had a deep effect on me. His character, band leader Danny, after spending his life wanting to win the national brass band trophy, symbolically turns it down because he knows it's the only way he can get publicity for the 1,000 miners who were sacked from his pit.
The line that got me was: »This government has systematically destroyed an entire industry – our industry. And not just our industry – our communities, our homes, our lives. All in the name of „progress”. And for a few lousy bob.« These communities had their heart ripped out by successive Tory governments. 200,000 were thrown on to the dole and were just left to rot. That led to increasing rates of worklessness and despair. It made me so angry and I thought we must do something. I then realised I was the minister in charge!
So I sat down with English Partnerships and ordered them to compile a programme targeted at regenerating these mining communities. I then went to the Durham Miners' Rally in July 1997 and told them we were taking action. It helped rebuild some of those former mining communities and, according to English Partnerships, has brought public-sector investment into the coalfield communities worth more than £400m.”