Belfast Rumour Of Election

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31904, 4 February 1969, Page 15

Belfast Rumour Of Election

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BELFAST (Northern Ireland), February 3. The Prime Minister (Captain Terence O’Neill), beset by a Parliamentary revolt and attacks from the extremist Protestant minister, the Rev. lan Paisley, may call an early General Election to get a mandate for his liberal policies.

s Political sources believe re-' cent events have strengthened; s the chances of a snap elec-! t tion and there is speculation' - that it might come within a! > month. > Mr Paisley who is i an “O’Neill must go” cami paign has never been re- 1 garded as a major political

'force. He is given no credit for the revolt in the Cabinet 'and Parliamentary party in 'the last 10 days that has threatened to topple the moderate Prime Minister.

i But the time may be com- | ing for the Government to take the demonstrative antiRoman Catholic more seriously. He has declared that in a new election he would enter the political arena and put up his own candidates against Captain O’Neill and take on the Prime Minister himself in his own constituency. The sources feel this may not be unwelcome on the Government side, which regards Paisleyism at the polls could effectively clear the way for the Prime Minister’s “fair play for all” policies, including a new deal for the Roman Catholic minority, they said. Meanwhile, in London today, about 300 demonstrators marched on the offices of the Northern Ireland Government shouting slogans such as “One man, one vote,” and “Irish Workers’ Republic in."