Britain.
Thatcher, CUES 1 00 51000 That in North An appeal for financial heip, both to replace the instruments and for legal defence costs for has been Money should be Parly! the United sent to LITOM, 64 Queen's Party, care.
Skinner were arrested. But only anne The Dering the two-day appeal the judge frequently attacked the 'Scurriloes nicker. Descriting the literature as seditiones foru libel", he threatened to refer it Skinner iniends Io lake the matter to a higher court and cumpaign in the labour more seats? ment on the issue. But fundsare urgently needed and shouid be rished to John Skiener Defence Campaign, c/o Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London Forum LAS PEM Ras am TORY o woman? Genera Srent Womens NO VOTE For Lacour Why a vole d2 worke's Iczambiqu formal on Canti of le anc!! and thà Ravolutionary Commun st Group jcin WE HAVE been told that what unites 'the mainland' and the six North-cast Irish counties B a common way of life and a common political tradition.
Il that were the case then the general election in the North of Treland would share the same characteristics as in Great BEIE Callagban and Steel would be speaking audiences in public halls in Belfast, Derry and Armagh, Prices, unemployment and tax would dominale the political debate, and the main parties would be dispatching full-time workers to win over the marzinal constiniencies.
It is stating the obvious to say that none of this applies. There Callaghan, Thatcher or Steel to campaign in the Notth of Ireland, oe to send party workers to organise the campaigns. There is no need aren't standing iself is the best example of how "different' the of Ireland B trom England, Scotland and Wales Another is to ask the average voter in the latter to explain the difference between the Onionist Party of Northern Ireland, Lister Lnionist the Officiel Unionist and the Democratic Uniotust Parly:
Not orly will the avcrage voter or lhe average reader of Socialist Challenge know, hut they wont much Yet these differences are the main feature of the election in the North of Ireland. The main contest is for the Loyalist vote main interest in the outcome is which brand of Unionism will emerge victor Will c be the mest extreme represented by lan Paisley's Democratie Unionist Parts, which is contesting five seals? Or the most inoderate -represented by the Alliance Party, which is contesting all 12 the Is there a real chance of Enoch Powell losing his seat co a momber of che SDLP in South Down hecause of a Unionist split? will newly independen Lemera phelin on ti eloction and the issues wils worer: unemplayment. cuts.Ireland Organisod Sociale 26 AD NWG. Bpm. All women welcome Angola alle Panasirura St Cera If. E4245 pa. Defalla Unionist Jiot Kilfedder, who is backed by the DUP, take the North Down seal from the Official Cnionises of which he was a member till carlier this year?
For the record, Powell will probably just hang on to his scal, the Democratic Unionist Party should increase ins vote, Alliance Party likely to win anything. and the Official Unionists should gain a majority of Loyalist scats Even if they do emerge as the party with the highest numbe of seats - between live and seven this will still be a bollow victory comparod with ten years ago, when they won all the Loyalist seats that were going.
But all this is somnewhat Irrelevant for if there is one thing about the clection the North of Treland which can be said with a good deal of confidence, it is that the results will have only the most marginal influence on what happens in Ireland in the next tive years, What is important is that the Loyalists remain split; split inte different orgunisations, split or tactics, split on the cods they wantto see.
The real Joser in that situation is Bertish imperialism because the one discernible strategy Britain has had in Ireland tor the past ten years 1s to try to build La cohesive alliance, wide popular on which it depend to overser the North of Afone time it was hoped that the Cnionist Pary, now the OUP, could be reformed' and attract significant Carholic support Then there sere expecrations in the newiy Tonned "non-sectarian" liance Parly. Then a poserthe moderates af the Unionist Party of Northem Ireland and the maindy Catholic Social Democratie and Eabow Parry was the dream All these attempts failed, and continued split the Loyalist forces, rogether the pressure on the SDLP to become more Republican, will ensure a continuation of that fallore a fler the ciection Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 pa