January 25 1924
Addressing a meeting of the Pottinger Unionist Association, Captain Herbert Dixon MP, the Northern Government’s Chief Whip, referring to the advent of the Labour Government, said what appealed to Ulster more than other parts of the British Empire was that their government and the Irish Free State had been set up not by the Conservative Party, but by an agreement arrived at by all parties in the British House of Commons, and Ulster had a right to demand from any government the same fair treatment as they would receive from a Conservative Government. That was the line Ulster ought to take in the matter.
On every side there was evidence of a great fear of a Labour government, but he saw no reason for that. They were all citizens of the British Empire, and part of the United Kingdom, and, therefore, if Labour or anybody else governed them honourably, they would serve the King’s government. If, on the other hand, however, those fears should come true, and the Labour Ggvernment attempted to do something on the people of Ulster, then, not for the first time, they would show that Ulster could take care of itself. No matter what happened they were subjects of his Majesty and of his government; therefore they were not to be disheartened or dismayed, as their leaders were not.
While the establishment of the Irish Free State, through the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, was supported by the major political parties in Westminster, Ulster Unionist MP Herbert Dixon was wrong in claiming all parties supported the establishment of Northern Ireland. The Labour Party and Herbert Asquith’s Liberal Party strongly opposed the Government of Ireland Act 1920.
Gerrymandering in Armagh
Major D G Shillington MP, speaking at an Orange meeting in Portadown, said he was not very pessimistic about the future, because he believed they would be able to look after their own corner in Northern Ireland. Before the next election took place the Northern Government hoped to have a redistribution of seats. It was proposed to divide County Armagh into four districts, and he thought that was a wise thing to do, because it would give a member a chance of looking more closely after his own division than it was possible for him to do when he represented the whole county.
Proportional Representation voting would be done away with under the new scheme. He hoped before the next election came round that plan would be carried out, because it would be much more satisfactory both to their representatives in Parliament and to their constituents. In County Armagh they would have three safe Unionist seats.