Broadcasting from inside the mine, Ms Brassil told Sky News host Chris Smith “our miners are very proud people” and they know what they’re doing is “important for the national economy”.
“They know what they’re doing is important for their families and the local communities,” she said. “This mine’s got a long future in front of it, as many of the mines around the country do, we’re very excited about continuing to contribute.”
What about the miners getting black lungs? What about the awful holes left by open cut mines? What about the inevitability that coal power stations will close because coal is dirty and expensive, leaving local populations with redundant skills living in ghost towns?
Let’s go naked
Vi har sammanfattat den här nyheten så att du kan läsa den snabbt. Om du är intresserad av nyheterna kan du läsa hela texten här. Läs mer: