A 48p-a-minute "support the miners' telephone line, widely advertised in the North East, has nothing to do with the National Union of Mineworkers and all proceeds are currently going straight into the hands of private telephone number - 0891 315424 claims to be automaticaly registering callers on a 'national electronic pertion.
But when you ring, all you hear is a recorded message, , and there is no and address. The 50p or so the call will cost could be far better spent by the National Miners' Support Network.
The man behind the scheme, Jock Gallagher of Broad Vision Ltd, Birmingham, told official NUM-backed campaigners in Newcaste: 'In my naivety and inexperience of the 0691 system •nao no expectaton or making No. 33 money... as soon as | learned that was a possibiity, I readily said i would make donations to your ghang fund. You'i forgive me for reacting badly to insinuations that I was seeking to exThe message claims: We wil en sure that the media is made aware of the number of votes recorded from time to time* so Socialist Outlook asked Mr Salaaner - whos olo number is 021 455 7949, shouid you wish to talk to him directly how the poling was going: Haven't a clue at the moment, we are still talking hundreds," we were told.
Asked it he had made any money. he said: 'Oh no, no, no, not yet. We've laid out about E4000. I'm not sure how much you get from callers. We've advertised in the Daily Mirror, which is fifteen hundred quid MOSOlUTely unprompted, he wrapped up: Tim sorry if I'm sounding like I'm hedging and vague, its lack of information, not edginess.' 5 Dec, 1992