As I recall, didn't PM Tony Blair do this with the military to the people a few years back?

They tend to be a lot tougher on strikers here than on the continent - although they don't exactly beat them up, the military are used extensively to move supplies and the police to hold back picket lines - I doubt the tanker drivers have much sympathy, according to the BBC anyway - they earn too much.
The lorry drivers are a different matter.