GOVT ROCKS

THE TORY governn nt plunged further into cr sis yesterday by deciding introduce direct rule Ulster from No. Downing Within hours of Edward Heath's statement in the House of. Commons, Protestant extremists. were marching the main streets of Belfast, there was a revolt in his own party at Westminster and three infantry battalions were put on standby for Ulster.

The introduction of direct rule can only mean a step up in army violence; it also means that the whole of Ireland is pushed a step further towards civil war.

Heath told parliament the transfer of all powers to London was : 'an indispensable condition for progress in finding a political solution in N He went on: 'Parliament will, therefore, be invited to pass before Easter, a measure transferring all legislative and executive powers now vested in the N Ireland parliament and government to the United Kingdom parliament and a United Kingdom : minister. This provision will expire after one year unless this parliament resolves otherwise.' He announced internment was to continue: 'We must retain the power to arrest and intern those who there is good reason to believe are actively involved in terrorism and violence.' Immediately he spelled out his programme for more intensive repression and bloodshed in Ulster, Opposition leader Harold Wilson was on his feet praising the Tories. He said Labour would *give every facilit: for getting the legislation through' He said the package was *well directed' and went on to praise the new Tory supremo in Ulster, William Whitelaw. 'We are sorry to lose the Lord President who, as leader of the House, has served the House well. All of us would wish him well in this new and tremendous task he has taken on.' (Only the day before, the same Whitelaw refused to giye Wilson an answer to a direct question on the raids on homes of members of IS, IMG and other groups. See. What We Think, p. 2.)

Almost before che speech was completed 6,000 Protestant dockyard workers downed tools and marched to City Hall. Their political mentor, William Craig, has already made a declaration on behalf of his Ulster Vanguard Party predicting 'violence if necessary'. (See profile of Craig on centre pages.)

Announcing the resignation of the whole Stormont Cabinet, Brian Faulkner said the Ulster crisis had reached a 'serious and sad situation. I fear that many people will draw a sinister and depressing message from these events.

"They may ask—if Belfast is to bow to violence today, where will it be next year? Birmingham?

Battersea?' After his speech in the Commons Heath met privately with Ulster Unionist MPs. James Molyneaux, MP for S Antrim, walked out saying: I had heard enough so I simply IN DUBLIN yesterday, President of the Provisional wing of Sinn Fein welcomed Heath's statement as an 'advance':

Rory O'Brady said that the suspension of Stormont did go some way towards meeting the Republican demands. He appealed to Protestants that their future was with the people of a new Ireland with regional government.

However, Cathal Goulding, Official IRA Chief of Stafi, rejected Heath's proposals which he said were tantamount to declaring martial law in N Ireland.

"They are not political initiatives walked out.' He added: 'In a mistaken attempt to appease gunmen, Heath has "done a Munich" and like Munich this will be followed by further and greater demands' ' Five of the eight Ulster Unionist MPs at Westminster said later that they would oppose the second reading of the N Ireland Bill.

Nicholas Winterton, Tory MP for Macclesfield, who will vote against the direct rule legislation said: 'I etyuri outalde the Stockport FROM STEPHEN JOHNS GAS repair work was halted all over the NW yesterday after Gas Board employees turned down a union plea to call off their twoweek Stockport strike.

Over 2,000 gas repair workers in Merseyside, Greater Manchester, N. Cheshire and as. far north as Blackpool are on strike in sympathy with men suspended from the Stockport gas distribution department.

Frank Stafford, was suspended and told he would lose money and job status for allegedly refusing to do overtime.

NW Gas Board chairman William Hodkinson offered to investigate new disciplinary measures launched by the Stockport at all, but are another way of saying that martial law has been introduced and that a few internees will be released, he said.

William Craig, leader of the rightwing Vanguard Movement yesterday appealed for a two-day work stoppage in N Ireland beginning on Monday.

But the N Ireland trade union movement made a 'stay-at-work' appeal to all workers. The N Ireland Committee of the Irish TUC announced that it was 'important that those in employment and in positions of responsibility should remain at their work'.

consider this a spineless act — a devious capitulation to violence' With a Protestant and right-wing backlash on his hands, Heath moved swiftly to prepare for a step up in military violence.

While he was preaching 'new initiatives to bring peace to Ulster, 4,000 troops were standing by in England to be flown to Ulster, bringing the total occupation army NORTH MEST ENTRANCE FOR ALI. • VISITORS DELIVERIES & ENQUIRIES Tel management which have After talks with Hodkinson, General and Municipal Workers' Union Lancashire organizer Jack Wilkinson asked a mass meeting of Stockport strikers to return to work.

He was sure the 14 shop stewards from the N Cheshire area would receive a 'sympathetic' hearing.

Hodkinson had made it clear, however, that the strike would have to end and that he had no power to reverse the suspensions.

Angry workers have rejected these pleas and demanded to know why the G&MWU have refused to back the strike with dispute pay.

Instead of making a bloody pact with the Tories, the Labour leaders should be immediately campaigning to bring this wretched government down.

The Tories today are a government of crisis. On Ulster, unemployment, the Common Market, wages, industrial relations and Rhodesia their policies are in tatters.

Heath is only kept in office by the collaboration of the Labour and trade union leaders.

If the Labour and trade union leaders were to take up a genuine fight against this government, would not last in office another five minutes.

With the Industrial Relations Act being applied against workers up and down the country, with the engineers locked in a mammoth pay clash, civil war and bloodshed on a frightening scale threatened Ireland, the removal of this government becomes the most crucial demand of the hour.

The working class must be mobilized to force an end to this government and a General Election.

Labour League AND BRITAIN Defend Right of Assembly Against Internment !

Withdraw British Troops 'ce Tory Government to Res DEMONSTRATE MARCH 26 1 pm contingent. WILLIAM CRAIG, leader of the extreme right -wing Vanguard Party, declared yesterday: 'Ulster Is closer to civil war today than it was yesterday.' He has called for general stoppages starting Monday. On today's centre pages Alex Mitchell writes a profile of the ex-Stormont cabinet minister advocating Ulster's UDI: William Craig Is the Protestant backlash'. Pages 6 and 7.

Suspended for O'Kane arrested in London, taken to Aldershot and later moved to Belfast on a warrant, was given a suspended sentence in Belfast yesterday on cheque charges.

O'Kane, unemployed of Londonderry, was sentenced to eight months, suspended for three years, after admitting five charges of obtaining a total of £152 by false cheques in Belfast in 1968 and 1969. A solicitor said full restitution had been made.

Clapham Cor alists and So

HANDS OFF I.S.

IF THERE is violence on Sunday's demonstration organized by the Anti-Internment League, the full responsibility lies with the Tory government.

Following a Cabinet decision, the Department of the Environment announced that Trafalgar Square could ARIWIND THE-WORLD