Labour's policy in the North of Ireland.
troops.
GEOFF BELL examines the record. The thinking Harold Wilson's crew is best summed up when Crossman quotes the views of Jim Callaghan, then Home Secretary and responsible for the North of Ireland, and of Denis Healey in August 1969:
Callagnan and Healey bou reminded us that whole interest was to work through the Protestant Government. The Frotestants are unc mory and we can't affood to alienate them".
Such attitudes rilled cut The and by Whom that pur by Wilson Lahour Government should ab olish Stormont and set up direct rule - a policy that was eventu 1972.
CRAZY Healey was one of the main pponents of such intervention He told Crossman in April 19h9 The ruin Maisie was aleas demanding, carly on, with this crazy desire to should side with the Roman Catholics and the civil Government and the Royal Ul Wibon had always been rather less reactionary in his views on Labour cabinet, but his opinions appear to have had little into what their role was. As carly as July 1969 the chief whip, Bot we find ourselves with British troops fighting on the side of reactionaries?" The latest volume of the diaries of Richard Crossman strikingly confirm the reactionary thinking behind The diaries cover the period 1968-70 when the civil rights movement was at its height and Britain sent in the The picture that emerges is a Labour cabinet basing its decisions on ignorance, opportunism and determination not to alienate the Loyalist majority in the Six Countries.
And when the troons were eventually sent in there was no suggestion that they were there to peace between the two communities. Crossman notes:
EXHAUSTED *Jim (Callaghan) told me he had been down to today to see Harold and they had Nation. It was obvious that the troops would have to go in because the RUC exhausted to move' The RUC at the time trvine to contain the risine in the Bogside area of Berry - there was no sectarian violence insolved and it was a straight clash Minority. In coming to the aid of the RUC the Labour cabinet was fully aware what type of "law and they were asked: What does law and order mean? And he noted in his the Royal Ulster Constabularly, who are Protestant Orangemen, Crossman also revenis that the possibility of appealing for assistance from the United Nabion: was raised, It was ruled because, says Crossman: "1 don' United Nations has the right to intervene in an internal affair Cornwall WEIL IDU Crossman observed: Neverthe helping to from the point of view of 1033. the Ciovernment. at has its au vantages It has deflected attention from our own deficience and the mess of the pound.
For his part, Jim Callaghan saw the events of August 1969 as an God, belancelor. This is that 1 1a0 being out doine takina decisions, and 1 had to take the decision to pur the plane on Cornwall:
enjoyable briefin Secretary every day.' Callaghan and Hegley: our whole interest was to work through the Protestant Governmant. The protestants are the troops in while 1 was in a the way back from on which Callaghan based suct decisions is also revealed by Crossman. In the entire Home Office there were only two civil When the problem of the lack of information was raised, Callag am seeing Chichester-Clarl Orangeman's ration"
Chichester Clark was the UoSonist Prime Mindster at the time.
But when it was suggested in the British cabinet that a less partial source of information was lord ed, Crossman notes that Callag han resisted the idea, has four and hate finb ern Ireland Government would crosman hate inte fully shared ignorance and partiabity. He get a date wrong in his diary mixin So Patrick's day mn 12 day.
He also succested that one answer to the in the whole question woald bet "stimulate the ensigration Catholics:
Ta the contrary. The sanes conclasion to be drawn from tbe information Crossman gives or LOUSES would be the pursuance of a policy which would stimulate the emigration' of Britain, the British Army, and Her Majesty' ministers from Ireland The Crossman Diaries, 1968-71 i published this week by framin Hamilton and Jonashan Cape ar E/2.50,