Downing Street refuses to apologise for Boris Johnson coalmines joke

Spokesman says prime minister 'recognises pain' of closures after remark provokes outrage Downing Street has declined to apologise for Boris Johnson joking about the Conservative government's closing of the coalmines but said he "recognises the huge impact and pain" that was felt by communities at the time. Johnson drew outrage on Thursday when he claimed that Margaret Thatcher had given the UK an "early start" in the shift away from fossil fuels by closing pits and followed up by laughing about...