A Wews Awalysis for Socialists Editors~-robin Blackburn + Ken Coates

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ULSTER TORY M.P.S' VOTE TO BE RESTRICTED? from jfilliam Barrett

The latest development in the changing political climate in Northern Ir .land is the rumour,emanating from London, that Harold Wilson might make a move to restrict the voting rights of the twelve Ulster Unionist M.P.s at Westminster to matters which specifically affect Northern Ireland, The effect of such a “clipping of wings" of these M.P.s would be to produce a direct clash between London and Stormont, the Parliament of Northern Ireland,

The secretary of the Northern Ireland Labour Party is understood to have made the following comment: "One can understand the attitude of the Labour Government if Unionist members propose carrying out similar tactics to which they carried out during the life of the Labour Government from 1945 to 1951, when they voted against legislation which did not apply to Northern Ireland, but which was for the benefit of the people of Great Britain alone."

A recent .example of such legislation is the amendment to the Rent Act, with regard to protection from eviction, passed as an emergency measure by our present Labour Government before Christmas, 1964. The secratary for the group of 12 Ulster Unionist M.P.s is reported as saying that it would not be practical politics for Mr, Wilson to restrict their voting rights at Westminster. He regarded it as purely a case of kite-flying by Mr. Wilson in order to provoke reaction.

There is no doubt that it would be ludicrous if these twelve Ulster Unionists contributed to the defeat of a Labour Government in Britain. The factors that deter-= mine the choice of the electorate for these M.P.s are religious as much as political and therefore do not constitute an unbiased political judgment. Editorial notes Should the Government decide to move along these lines, it could count upon the full support of the left in face of the inevitable hysterical press campaign, ear ft would however expect such 2 move to be only the beginning of a process whicH®°l the completely undemocratic set-up in Ulster and would press accordingly.