The Government made active preparations for conflict. Ten Civil Commissioners were appointed with their own staff and with the full authority conferred upon them by the Emergency Powers Act, to run the ten regions into which Britain was to be divided.

The Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies (OMS) - a volunteer 'private' strike breaking body was established. By the General Strike it had lists of over 100,000 volunteers ready to take over the running of essential services. At the same time the government made its own military style preparations.

Thus all the arrangements for running the country were in place to be triggered in the event of a one-word signal from Whitehall - 'Action'.

Professor Mary Davis, Centre for Trade Union Studies, London Metropolitan University