ulster

---

PRIME M I N I S T E R

ULSTER

1. by

H e r e w i t h Memorandum w h i c h h a s Peter Utley,

2.

with

You

will

"In

the

whom I l u n c h e d

remember t h a t

been sent

to

a fortnight

i n our

me

ago,

Manifesto,

we

said



this:­ a b s e n c e o f d e v o l v e d G o v e r n m e n t , we

to e s t a b l i s h with 3. agreed

on

our

s i d e i n the

elected up

one

given is

i n the

Official

on

the

General

Unionist

p.m.

understanding

that

at

some d o u b t

i t at

have d e l i v e r e d the

1

Hence Jim

that

the

help

lay in their

policy

Official

as

5.

s e t out Airey

Molyneaux s rccont

power i n o r d e r i n i t s own me

w h i c h had

been given

A i r e y was

murdered

correct

to

say

U l s t e r had

that the

on

two the

to

the

of

would

was set

not there

Molyneaux

i n the

House

Government the

whatever

Government's

to

- and

Nevertheless,

the

Party

policy,

undertaking

p o l i c y on w h i c h y o u

broad assent

28th





2 7 t h / 2 8 t h M a r c h 1979 days l a t e r .

our

implement

of any

Parliament

votes.

to

Manifesto.

nothing

we

Statement

U n i o n i s t s would g i v e

told

i f our

whether Jim

Ulster Unionist

when

I f A i r e y had

t h i s w o u l d be

i t s lowest)

that



Wednesday

E l e c t i o n which followed,

i n d i c a t i o n that ( t o put

me

on



councils

Members o f

10.00

vote

seek

services".

Molyneaux t o l d

o r more e l e c t e d r e g i o n a l c o u n c i l s .

h.

for

month, J i m

crucial

i t was

a clear

could

this

to d e l i v e r the

M a r c h 1979%

o r more e l e c t e d r e g i o n a l

a wide range of powers over l o c a l

Earlier

he

one

will

and

Official

of

Molyneaux course

i t i s , of

A i r e y had Unionists.

course,

agreed

6. for

A i r e y b e l i e v e d t h a t D i r e c t R u l e would have t o c o n t i n u e

some time;

I am i n broad sympathy w i t h t h e v i e w s w h i c h a r e

e x p r e s s e d by P e t e r U t l e y i n t h e a t t a c h e d Memorandum;

I do n o t

know enough about t h e c u r r e n t m i l i t a r y / R . U . C . t h i n k i n g t o e x p r e s s

a view about U t l e y ' s s u g g e s t i o n t h a t d e t e n t i o n w i t h o u t

trial

should be r e - i n t r o d u c e d .

7.

Finally,

I a t t a c h the r e a l l y

splendid a r t i c l e

A i r e y which P e t e r U t l e y h a s w r i t t e n i n t o d a y ' s

2 7 t h November. 1979

l a n Gov

about

Telegraph.



THOUGHTS ON ULSTER

My main a n x i e t y object

i s quite simply t h a t I t h i n k the present

o f our p o l i t i c a l s t r a t e g y

wrong.

That o b j e c t

appears

i n Ulster

i s disastrously

t o be t h e r e s t o r a t i o n o f some

s o r t o f d e v o l v e d P a r l i a m e n t w i t h s u b s t a n t i a l powers and

t h e i n c l u s i o n i n t h e arrangement safeguards f o r t h e C a t h o l i c

o f some system o f

minority.

Suppose f o r a moment t h a t t h i s o b j e c t a t t a i n m e n t w o u l d I m a i n t a i n produce



i s attainable. I t s

continuing

long

term

disaster.

Devolved

government, i t i s t r u e , p r o d u c e d

f i f t y years of

r e l a t i v e peace, b u t t h e s p e c i a l c o n d i t i o n s peace depended were t h e f o l l o w i n g : Ulster of a strong,

on w h i c h

that

t h e dominance i n

c o h e r e n t and r e l a t i v e l y humane

Unionist

p a r t y w h i c h had no w i s h a t a l l f o r s e l f government i n any

field

e x c e p t i n t e r n a l s e c u r i t y and w h i c h w o r k e d hand i n

glove

w i t h B r i t i s h C o n s e r v a t i v e governments and even

w i t h A t t l e e ' s Labour a d m i n i s t r a t i o n conditions in Ulster

i n 194-5•

have i r r e t r i e v a b l y v a n i s h e d .

A l l these

A devolved 1 .rliament

i n t h e y e a r s t n a t l i e ahead i s l i k e l y t o be

dominated by h a r d l i n e P r o t e s t a n t s

f a r more n e r v o u s and

b i t t e r t h a n C r a i g a v o n and Bro \ eborough,

f e e l i n g no s p e c i a l

l i n k w i t h any B r i t i s h p a r t y and d e t e r m i n e d t o r u l e t h e

Province i t s e l f .

The e f f e c t i v e n e s s

m i n o r i t y i n those circumstances w i l l British interventions h o t l y resented.

o f s a f e g u a r d s f o r t h e

depend on c o n t i : u a l

i n U l s t e r p o l i t i c s w h i c h w i l l be

We seek d e v o l u t i o n

because we t h i n k t h a t

i t w i l l commit', us les^, t h a n i n t e g r a t i o n ; i n t h i s we a r e

g u i l t y o f a supreme

folly.

2.

I n d e e d , t h e l i k e l y consequence o f d e v o l u t i o n

i s independence

b r o u g h t about i n ti_e most s q u a l i d and d i s c r e d i t a b l e manner.

There i s an a r g u a b l e case f o r independence

obviously from

B r i t a i n ' s p o i n t o f v i e w and even f r o m U l s t e r ' s , b u t i f t h a t

d e l i c a t e o p e r a t i o n i s t o be a t t e m p t e d i t must be a t t e m p t e d

d e l i b e r a t e l y and o p e n l y . case.

I hope t h i s w i l l n e v e r be t h e

I am, h o w e v e r , bound t o s a y , t h a t i t i s e a s i e r t o

imagine a s t a b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p between a r i s i n g f r o m independence

B r i t a i n and U l s t e r

t n a n i t i s t o i m a g i n e such a

r e l a t i o n s h i p a r i s i n g from devolved

government.

I b e l i e v e t h a t i f we a r e s e r i o u s i n o u r i n t e n t i o n t o keep

the

u n i o n , t h e o n l y way t o do i t i s by what has come t o be

called f u l l

integration.

I t i s not administratively

i m p o s s i b l e t o r e s t o r e a measure o f l o c a l government t o

U l s t e r and o t h e r w i s e p e r p e t u a t e d i r e c t r u l e .

There i s

overwhelming e v i d e n c e t h a t t h i s s e t t l e m e n t w o u l d command

the

aquiescence o f f a r more p e o p l e i n b o t h c o m m u n i t i e s t h a n

any o t h e r .

That t r u t h i s obscured b y t h e t r a d i t i o n a l

>T

r e s i s t a n c e o f C a t h o l i c p o l i t i c i a n s i n t h e I or£h.. however, f u l l

I f ,

i n t e g r a t i o n were accoarpanied oy r e g u l a r

Border

p o l l s , t h e g r e a t b u l k o f C a t h o l i c x & o l i n g w o u l d be C-^^-An

satisfied.

T h i s c e r t a i n l y appeared t o be t n e c o n c l u s i o n

w h i c h A i r e y Neave h a d r e a c h e d ( n o t p e r h a p s w i t h o u t some

regard t o t h e importance of appealing t o O f f i c i a l in

Unionists

t h e l a s t P a r l i a m e n t ) and which was embodied i n o u r

Manifesto.

I b e l i e v e t h a t Humphrey A t k i n s has made a

serious mistake i n r e t r e a t i n g from i t .

5-

Of c o u r s e , t ] e p r o b a b i l i t y i s t h a t t h e p r e s e n t will fail. it.

Even so i t w i l l

initiative



l e a v e a d e p o s i t o f damage b e h i n d

I f i t i s a l l o w e d t o d r a g on f o r s e v e r a l months ( w h i c h

seems t o be t h e p r e s e n t

intention)

i t w i l l regenerate

intense



f r i c t i o n between P r o t e s t a n t and C a t h o l i c p o l i t i c i a n s ,

c o n f i r m P a i s l e y i n a d e f i a n t and one he knows how

destructive role

t o p l a y i n s p i t e of occassional

g e s t u r e s of r e a s o n a b l e n e s s a p t l y d e s i g n e d

para-militaries.

The

superficial

to exploit

c r e d u l i t y of B r i t i s h p o l i t i c i a n s and c i v i l confirm also the growing

(the only

the

servants)

and



s u p p o r t f o r P a i s l e y among P r o t e s t a n t

IRA w i l l p r o f i t

immensely f r o m a l l t h i s

and w i l l i n t e n s i f y i t s campaign as soon as t h e Conference

begins

t o generate

animosity.

this initiative w i l l

The

destabilising

be immense; any

improvement i t may

produce o f our r e p u t a t i o n i n D u b l i n or t h e USA s h o r t l i v e d and

The

of l i t t l e

effe»t o f

will

be



material value.

damage, however, c o u l d now

be l i m i t e d .

This could

be

done by abandoning t h e p r e s e n t p l a n t o a l l o w t h e C o n f e r e n c e

t o c o n t i n u e f o r weeks and

even months and

a f i r m time l i m i t

I t would also h e l p i f t h e

on i t .

S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e were t o say now commanding wide s p r e a d government, HiG

support

w i l l have no

improve d i r e c t r u l e a d d i n g to i t .

instead putting

t h a t i f agreement

i s n o t r e a c h e d on

alternative

devolved

but t o extend

and

l o c a l government i n s t i t u t i o n s

I w o u l d e a r n e s t l y p l e a d f o r t h e c o n s i d e r a t i o n of

b o t h these p o s s i b i l i t i e s .





4.

C l e a r l y , I c a n n o t o f f e r competent a d v i c e about t h e d e t a i l s

of s e c u r i t y p o l i c y . general p o i n t :

However, I w, u l d l i k e t o make one

I cannot t h i n k o f any t e r r o r i s t

campaign

i n any p a r t o f t h e w o r l d w h i c h has been s u c c e s s f u l l y

defeated

without recourse t o executive

detention.

I do

n o t b e l i e v e t h a t t h i s has been t r i e d and f a i l e d i n U l s t e r .

When e x e c u t i v e

d e t e n t i o n was o r i g i n a l l y r e - i n t r o d u c e d

there,

t h e o p e r a t i o n , as we a l l know, was b o t h b e l a t e d and

mismanaged.

N e v e r t h e l e s s i t stemmed t h e r a t e a t w h i c h

v i o l e n c e was g r o w i n g and no sooner h a d i t s b e n e f i c e n t

effects

begun t o appear t h a n we began t o w i e l d t h e weapon i n t h e

most u n c e r t a i n manner, s t a r t i n g t o r e l e a s e the prospect o f release f r o m the S.D.L.P..

people or o f f e r

i nreturn for p o l i t i c a l

concessions

The argument now i s t h a t i f e x e c u t i v e

d e t e n t i o n were r e v i v e d , a dangerous f u r o r e f r o m t h e

Catholic

p o p u l a t i o n , f r o m t h e D u b l i n government and f r o m t h e U.S.A..

The

f i r s t two f a c t o r s are c o n s i d e r a b l y

Catholic population

exaggerated: t h e

i s wftrn o u t , and t h e D u b l i n

government



( a s must now s u r e l y be c l e a r ) w i l l g i v e us no more and no

less than i t i s already

g i v i n g w h a t e v e r we do.

I w i s h t o draw a t t e n t i o n t o , however, i s t h i s : deployed against been, a r e b e i n g

The p o i n t

t h e arguments

d e t e n t i o n a r e p r e c i s e l y t h o s e w h i c h have

and w i l l be d e p l o y e d a g a i n s t

e f f e c t i v e a n t i IRA weapon.

t h e use o f any

We were b u l l i e d i n t o

abandoning

d e t e n t i o n and i n t o s u b s t i t u t i n g f o r i t dependence on

i n t e r r o g a t i o n ; we' have been b u l l i e d i n t o b l u n t i n g i n t e r r o g a t i o n

to for

t h e p o i n t o f v i r t u a l u s e l e s s n e s s and i n t o s u b s t i t u t i n g

i t a new dependence on "under c o v e r a c t i v i t i e s " .

cover a c t i v i t i e s w i l l and

Under



s h o r t l y come u n d e r t h e same c r i t i c i s m

a r e c a p a b l e o f b e i n g a t t a c k e d much more e f f e c t i v e l y

than e i t h e r detention or i n t e r r o g a t i o n . it

I n any case, "ba­

w o u l d seem t h a t under c o v e r a c t i v i t i e s ,

short



5

o f ad hoc

a s s a s s i n a t i o n s , may

n o t be e f f e c t i v e :

y i e l d i n t e l l i g e n c e b u t do t h e y y i e l d e v i d e n c e ? of evidence w h i c h c r e a t e s the problem. no doubt t h a t under cover

I t i s lack

l a arjy oiu»o, I have

draws t h e a t t e n t i o n o f

liberal

existence.

What f i n a l l y w o r r i e s me

a r e t h e methods b y w h i c h p o l i c y

towards N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d i s f o r m u l a t e d and presentation.



a c t i v i t i e s w i l l b e g i n t o be

m o d i f i e d as socn as t h e IRA opinion t o t h e i r

they

The

the s t y l e of i t s

i s o l a t i o n of the N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d

from contact w i t h o p i n i o n i n the Province perhaps i n e v i t a b l e .

office

i s notorious

Over t h e y e a r s , however, t h a t

and



office

t o a g r e a t e r e x t e n t even t h a n o t h e r government d e p a r t m e n t s

has d e v e l o p e d a p a t t e r n o f t h o u g h t r e a c t i o n S o f i t s own.

and

w i t h Northern

civil

I t

often British

s e r v a n t s engage i n

conversations

I r i s h p o l i t i c i a n s w i t h o u t e i t h e r making

themselves understood them.

automatic

Evidence f o r t h i s i s abundant.

i s , f o r example, a s t o n i s h i n g t o me how p o l i t i c i a n s and

a s e r i e s of

Unlessjbhe

or understanding

Northern

what i s s a i d t o

I r e l a n d o f f i c e i s v e r y adept a t

d e c e p t i o n , i t would seem t h a t i t i s v a s t l y s u r p r i s e d , f o r

i n s t a n c e , a t t h e l a c k o f warmth o f t h e r e c e p t i o n g i v e n t o

the l a t e s t i n i t i a t i v e . I r i s h p o l i t i c i a n s , was

I , who

Northern

not i n the l e a s t s u r p r i s e d .

r e p e a t t h a t a l l t h i s may if

talk regularly to

I



t o some e x t e n t be i n e v i t a b l e , b u t

so t h e N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d o f f i c e i s i n g r e a t e r need o f

o u t s i d e ^ p o l i t i c a l a d v i c e t h a n i t acknowledges.

I

am



s u r p r i s e d , f o r example, t h a t i t does n o t more o f t e n c a l l

on t h e . s h r e w d and w e l l i n f o r m e d o p i n i o n o f A l i s t a i r o f t h e C.R.D..

Cooke



6

But t h e s t y l e i n w h i c h p o l i c y i s p r e s e n t e d t o be d e s i r e d .

leaves

even more

I m a g i n e how i r r i t a t i n g i t i s , i f you have

been bombed f o r t e n y e a r s d u r i n g w h i c h an e s s e n t i a l l y

unchanging p o l i t i c a l c r i s i s has been i n p r o g r e s s , t h a t t h e new S e c r e t a r y

of State i s aquainting himself

scratch w i t h the nature

told

from



o f t h e p r o b l e m t o w h i c h he b r i n g s

t h e advantages o f a mind l a r g e l y f r e e f r o m f o r m e r with i t .

t o be

contact

One o f t h e g r e a t d i f f e r e n c e s between t h e I r i s h

and the E n g l i s h i s t h a t t h e I r i s h r e s p o n d t o eloquence

while the English p r e f e r understatement. f i n d eloquent

E n g l i s h p o l i t i c i a n s t o readh the L e a r t s of

I r i s h m e n , b u t has t h e r e q u i r e m e n t been recognised?

I t i s hard t o

sufficiently

The a c c e n t s o f p o l i c y a r e v e r y

important.

As an i l l u s t r a t i o n o f what I mean, f o r example,



I think

one o f t h e few B r i t i s h p o l i t i c i a n s ( a p a r t f r o m Enoch) who

m i g h t have gene o v e r b e t t e r i n U l s t e r t h a n Roy ilason (whose

bluntness

and l a c k o f s o p h i s t i c a t i o n was a f a i r s u b s t i t u t e

f c r e l o q u e n c e ) was Teddy

Taylor.

While these words were b e i n und-rstand,

c

w r i t t e n , t i e S.D.L.F., I

was d e c i d i n g n o t t o go t o t h e p r o p o s e d

conference.If

t u i s i s so, t h e i n i t i a t i v e

i s presumably

still-born.

A dangerous p e r i o d o f d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t w i l l

now f o l l o w .

I b e l i e v e i t can be ended o n l y by a f i r m r e t u r n

t o our M a n i f e s t o

p o l i c y , b u t I am bound t o add t h a t I do

not believe t h a t t h i s w i l l

c a r r y c r e d i b i l i t y w i t h o u t some

change i n t h e p e r s o n a l i t i e s i n v o l v e d .

i

r>'

HONOURING^THE BRAVE

- ONE OF THE WAYS In which a nation sustains its life is by constantly calling to mind the memory of those who « have served it. Few such memories speak so directly and eloquently to the -needs of our own time as that of the J Y life and death of AIREY NEAVE. His legendary war-time ^ j career of which the highlight was the escape from Colditz, •< his part in the Nuremberg trials (sensitively recalled in jn i a distinguished book), his quiet but incredibly effective re \ . U career in post-war British politics and finally the supreme Cii \ and terrible compliment paid to him by Irish terrorists Og '-; who probably saw him as their most formidable political af enemy—all this will secure his place i n history. \ Apart from love of his own country, the dominant . theme of AIREY NEAVE'S career was his passionate oc< \ devotion to the cause of freedom. I t is excellent news, «o» | therefore, that a memorial trust has been established in ~J this honour to promote that cause by education and ^research and that this trust has already made a good j • .start in raising funds. In recent years, libertarian thinking pu • in this country has been too-often restricted to economics *° ' a "bias"from which AIRET NEAVE iimself was refresh- ]Jj ingly free." Subjects 'suchas-the means by which a free oui ' society can defend itself against terrorism without per- tb< . -manently jnjuring its x/wn institutions.call urgently for j?* . ; > * ^ t b t u s bope^efieast,'that^jJHo-'the^nrst-fto be • .-be ^ ^ ^ f e n t ^ to Its-secretary c/oj^ej House of-Gommons) will , |j$ ibe^Iargtffenough -torhe!p?vs$kTL-&6 forget -another less ­ ^^'^^difying'Tiews item—the-iT^rt:ihat-'a-ToryKroutTol!ed.! A -|j«J!J* connciLhas recently declined.{partly-from fear of I R A = «»r! - reprisals); to add to its war memorial ~tbe name of one - m

,t:

5

y

r

' of the soldiers'killed^at"Warrenpoint' AIREY "NEAVE W&Li would have had his own comment tojnake on that kind';

^j,