January 27 1974
The Rev Ian Paisley swung dramatically away from his uncompromising “no breaks with Britain” policy to plead for “an independent Ulster”. And he admitted “I can’t say fully” that union with the Republic would never come.
His feelings now about the north going it alone were “against all that I have originally stood for. I wanted to save the union”.
Mr Paisley said he had wanted the minority “put into a large majority across the water. This doesn’t seem possible now, unfortunately”.
- Ghost of Ian Paisley hangs over DUPOpens in new window
- Power-sharers Braced for Attack at Historic Assembly Meeting – On This Day in 1974Opens in new window
- To understand unionism/loyalism/Orangeism, you need to know it can sniff one drop of Lundyism in a million gallons of undiluted orangeOpens in new window
He called for a referendum throughout the United Kingdom so people could say if they wanted “Ulster” to stay in the UK. In this way, “Ulster” would know its position, Mr Paisley added. He hoped to “put Englishmen out of the room and bring in Ulstermen without the interference of Westminster”.
“We’ll find a way to solve our problems,” he said in a London Weekend Television interview. “Ulstermen,” left alone, could hammer out a way to democracy “in which all sections can participate”, the Democratic Unionist Party leader declared.
Mr Paisley was asked in the interview whether “special and friendly” relations he was advocating with the Republic could ever lead to unity.
He replied: “I would like to say no. I would like to say never. But I can’t say that fully. We had Germany and France at each other’s throats for a very long time and with the passing of the years things have changed.”
The Rev Paisley’s policy shift received a mixed reception in loyalist circles last night, but the most important outcome of his apparent conversion could be a significant boost in support for the Chief Executive, Mr Brian Faulkner. Unionist waverers, dubious about Mr Faulkner’s involvement in the power-sharing Assembly, are likely to be even more outraged by the prospect of an end to the British link.
Many of the doubtful will choose coalition as the lesser of two evils.
The surprise move by Mr Paisley left him closer to the declared policies of Mr William Craig, leader of the Vanguard Unionists, but could well have embarrassed the third member of the hardline trio, Mr Harry West, leader of the Official Unionists. All three parties are represented on the United Unionist Council.
Mr West said last night: “I would accept an independent Ulster only as a last resort. I will fight to maintain the union as long as I can. But if it came to a choice between a united Ireland and an independent Ulster, I would choose independence – preferably as a result of a negotiated settlement with Britain.”
Mr West and Mr Craig are likely to demand details of his new plan when they meet next week.
Mr Paisley’s anger at the heavy presence of troops at Stormont this week is thought to have played a major part in the complete change of heart – from a policy of complete integration with Britain to contemplating a complete break.
Mr Ruairi Ó Brádaigh, president of Sinn Féin (Kevin Street), in a statement last night, said: “Sinn Fein welcomes Rev Ian Paisley’s call to the British to get out of Ireland and allow Irishmen of all shades of opinion to settle their affairs in peace.”