ULSTER CRISIS British Cabinet in emergency session

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32562, 23 March 1971, Page 13

ULSTER CRISIS British Cabinet in emergency session

(N.Z.P A.-Reuter—-Copyright) LONDON, March 22. British Cabinet Ministers are meeting in emergency session this morning to decide firm policy lines on the leadership crisis in Northern Ireland.

A Government statement is expected in Parliament later today from the Prime Minister (Mr Heath), who has cancelled a visit to West Germany. In his statement, Mr Heath is thought likely to make it clear that the present policies of the Northern Ireland Government will continue under ifs new leader, as the

best hope for long-term peace in Ulster. Political observers in both London and Belfast are still of the opinion that the Northern Ireland Minister of Development (Mr Brian Faulkner) will replace Major James Chichester-Clark as Prime Minister.

His election is expected to be confirmed at a meeting of the Ulster Unionist Party in Belfast later today.

In the troubled aftermath of Major Chichester-Clark’s resignation, the people of Ulster are in despair, and in churches throughout the province yesterday, prayers were offered for peace and stability. Few can see any swift solution to Ulster’s problems. Indeed, a leader of the Social Democratic Opposition, Mr Gerald Fitt, has said that the whole fabric and structure of democracy in Ulster has broken down with Major Chichester-Clark’s removal from the scene. Experts on Ulster politics are not happy about Mr Faulkner’s chances of restoring calm in a situation apparently rendered insoluble by the deep emotional differences between the Protestant majority and the Roman Catholic minority. The difficulty of finding a new leader acceptable to both communities, and the apparently growing exasperation of Westminster, appears to many to bring nearer the possibility of direct rule from London, although the British Home Secretary (Mr Reginald Maudling) has said that this would be a last resort. Mr Faulkner, suspected by some of having moved from a Right-wing approach to a

more moderate one, is seen as likely to face heavy odds if he is elected as the new Prime Minister. Farther to the Right stands Mr William Craig, the former Minister of Home Affairs who was dismissed from the Cabinet in 1968 because of his outspoken views. Thousands of frustrated Protestants, clamouring for hardline policies from West-

minster to combat the Irish Republican Army terrorists, would give Mr Craig their emotional support; but most recognise thqt the British Government would be highly unlikely to approve his appointment. There was more violence in Belfast last night An explosion wrecked a Roman Catholic beauty parlour, fire swept a soft drinks bottling works, a British Army patrol was the target of a nail-bomb attack, and policemen were stoned in Protestant districts.