Ibed Protestant ascendancy over • Catholic minonty as a permanent feature of problems in the North. In giving its blessing to the partition, the Labour Government also gave its blessing to vicious sectur tan violence against the Catholic minority which was indispensable in getting them to accept their subordinate position. Through such continual pogroms the minonity has been kept in that position for over 50 years.
In 1949 it was the labour gorernment which drew up that secr tion of the Government of Ireland Act which put the permanent status of Northern Ireland into law. In 1969 it was the Labour government that sent in the British troops in an attempt to deal with the most - troops have consistently battered and repressed the Catholic minority ever since.
TODAY'S DIRTY TRICK On each of these occasions the Labour Government has justified its actions through talk of the "democratic rights" of the Protestants or the need to end 'sectarian strife'. But in each case these high-sounding plurases have been no more than i cover to bide beating the Catholic minority into submission to the rule of the Loyalists. This is the reality of Northern Ireland. The artificial division of the Irish nation makes it the only possibility.
Today's proposals stem from the inevitable failure of the policy which British imperialism Fled Weekly 26 September 1974 Page 4 Internment, armed repression and a whole host of Irish political prisoners in British jails - these are the achievements of our 'socialist" leaders I IRISH PRISONERS N Labour M.P. Stan Newens, writing recently to the Irish fost-main paper of the Irish community in Britain acknowledges that several of the paper's correspondents, favour the withholding of votes from Labour at the next General Election.' Newens" letter is a response to editorials, articles and letters in the Post ovor the past few weeks quest ioning the traditional support of the Irish community for the Labour Party (estimated to be as high as 84% in the 1970 general clection).
Newens urges frish voters to think very carefully indeed before he or she advocates withholding votes from Labour', Nowens clains the Labour Party contains such champions of the Irish struggle as himself, who",. was one of the minority of MPs who voted against the renewal of the powers under which internment is carried out in Northern Ireland; Kevin Macnamara; Paul Rose; and Jock Stallard, who played a leading role in organising a sizcable demonstration in London six years ago [sic] to denounce discrimination in Northern Ireland'.
The bistorical record of Labour on Ireland makes one wonder why Irish support for the L.P. has been so consistently strong. Labour's attitude to Ireland bas been characterised by complete blindness to the imperialIst relationship between the two This has led them to a defence of partition and the role of British troops in Ireland.
In 1921, Lenin observing this, recommended that the Bolsheviks *inumediately instruct one of our most sarcastic journalists to write a draft. to the British Labour Party... particularly mn order to make the leaders of the British Labour Party understand what contemporary im perialist relationships mocan in international politics, we suggest to them that they favourably consider: first. the withdrawal of the British troops from Ireland and the taking of a referendum; secondly, the same in repard to India, thirdly..
The resurgence in the Irish anti-imperialist struggle in the past five years has really put Labour on the spot. It was Wilson who in August 1969 authorised the use of British troops as the direct instrument of Westminster's plans. When under the Tories the troops spearheaded a policy of repression, internes indiscriminate murders, Labo famous bipartisan policy bac the Tories down the line. The ition of the Labour "left" was icant.
Since last February Labou really excelled their previous ling record. Pursuing policies earned the plaudits of Enoch ell, they bave intensified the 1 sion while Wilson simultaneo claims that there are no politi prisoners in Northero Ireland Rather than grunt the min demands of republican hunge ers, the Labour government c Michuel Gaughan's death thro force feeding Now Rees has itulated to the loyalist backw men on the two issues of setti up an ascendancy parliament a protestant reserve police for IRISH REACTION It is these political develop ments that have caused such a spread reaction amongst the p cally active sections of the Iri community. This has led to 11 entergence of the Belfast base Desert Labour Campaign and call by London Provisional Sir Fein for voters not to suppor Tory, Labour or Liberal, but t write in British Troops Out o land' on the ballot paper. - Th has also been the decision by 1 (Irish Civil Rights Associatio stand candidates in key Labou gnals where there are large Iri communities.
We agree with ICRA on the of the Lahour government, an
North of Ireland.
being told in this clection by both hospitals. For all his fine talk now it was Wilson who maintained the on this war?
extend the whole network of kang The British ruling class spends E3 mil lion a month to keep its army in the This fact alone should be of great interest to British workers, who are sides that there is not enough money to pay for 'luxuries" like schools and £1 80 million Tory cuts in the educa fion budget. So why, if times are so hard and if we all lave to tighten our belts, is so much money being spent NTERNATION