Mr Scargill pledges his support for BL convener

Mr Arthur Scargill yesterday pledged the support of Yorkshire miners for the reinstatement of Mr Derek Robinson the shop stewards' convener dismissed by British Leyland.

The Yorkshire miners' president told a thousand cheering delegates from branches of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (AUEW) and trades councils in Birmingham:  "If one branch official of my union was dismissed in similar circumstances not a shovelful of coal would be produced in the Yorkshire mining industry. If you make the call, the Yorkshire miners will join you in industrial action."

The delegates agreed to take any action necessary to secure the unconditional reinstatement of Mr Robinson who was dismissed for urging workers to resist the BL survival plan. Mr Robinson, who was, re-elected. on Saturday as convener at Longbridge, Birmingham, said he had been dismissed for carrying out union policy in, opposing plant closures and redundancies. Mr Robinson, aged 52, was sacked more than two months ago for urging workers to resist the BL survival plan already accepted by a 7-1 majority of the workforce.

Three executive members of the AUEW inquiring into whether his dismissal was unfair are expected to report later this month.