The Sunningdale Agreement, the centrepiece of the British "solution" to the lrish revolt, has been badly mauled by the results of the British General Election in both Britain and Ireland.
The massive 11 out of 12 victory of the anti-Sunningdale Unionists, and Heath's cynical manceuvre in offering the Tory whip to Harry West's supporters have sent shivers down the spine of Firt, Faulkner and the Southern establishment.
PROPAGANDA
In the last bours before the election, when it seemed clear that the Paisleyites would do well, the British propaganda machine went into operation, explaining throughout the world that the number of seats won would not be the crucial issue and that more importance should be placed on the number of votes cast for the pro-and antiSunningdale candidates.
In fact, the voting figures, as anniysed in the Provo paper An Phobiacht, sbow that 431,682 people voted against Sunningdale, to 293,719 votes for, This represented an overwhelming majority in the Protestant constituencies, and a 'Catbolic" constituencies.
Faulkner has now demanded that the Southern government eliminate Irom is constitution the claim to sovereignty over the whole isiand, a precaution For propccoung furtber with the Sunningdale Faulkner is aware tbat the Southern government is not at the moment in any pout on to carru 4 referendum on this subject, but he hopes hy these moves to achieve a freezing of the implementation of the agreement. This he believes is VICEOTY essential to stop delections inside his own "Faulknerite" rump of the Unionist Assembly Parly.
The signatories to the Sunningdale ACCID DELUTE INE expected to acbieve majority support TENTH WORLD in 10th World Cangress of the Fourth International (4th World Congress sir | failed. In the same period, they had expected to smash the military campaign of the Provos, Instead Jast week we saw the largest outbreak of streaking in the world, when 400 British soldiers ran territied from the main Beitish Anny base in Belfast City before it collapsed around their eats. This happened within hours of the British GOC telling Merlyn Rees, Labour's new Gauleiter of Ireland, that they bad the Provos on the nin.
As the possiblity of early stabilisation sinks bebind the steeples of Fernanagh and Tyrone, the election ol Masoos Governeat proves de opportunity for socialists in Britain to accelerate a campaign to demand thut Labour breaks with its bi-partisan approach to Ireland, and withdraws the troops.
BYE-BYE BI-PARTISAN
The main prongs of this must be e campaign to obtain signartres for the Troopt Out Movement pertrion and to recure sponsorship and deieg ares to the conference criled by the Troops Our Morement which is now fired for If May Meanwhile, Labour's election bus opened up the possibility of an impottant victory for the campaigo to secure the transfer of the four Irish hunger strikers to Ireland.
The British legal, political, medical, and media establisbments have staked their reputations on denying these foor prisoners their demands, Thanks to the unparalleled courage of the hunger strikers, and the tenacity of the campaigners in Britain and Ireland as we go to press it appears almost PETAL WE LEE SaD LOTS OF TRE left and Republicuns will have humiliated the British ruling class. If this TSUS COULD SOURCE ON teral campaign for the release of all Trish political prisoners must be built on the momentum gained hy this Deleir of the TOM conference from Alistair Remeick, 28 Lammer Purk Road, Baling, London HS Desatis of trial Political Hostages Campaign from Maureen Magore, 88 Rossin Roed, London N7.5, SEAN REED