Trade unions exposed the “madness” of Con-Dem plans to close two of Britain’s last coal mines yesterday after revealing that it would cost more than keeping them open. 

Government plans for a “managed closure” of the Kellingly and Thoresby deep pits owned by UK Coal next year will dump 1,300 miners on the dole.

That would leave a £75 million black hole in the public purse from income tax and national insurance payments lost between 2016 and 2018 — and taxpayers will be forced to pick up the unemployment benefits bill for redundant workers.