Whitelaw meets UDA Leaders
Eamon Phoenix
The Northern secretary of state, William Whitelaw met senior UDA figures at Stormont Castle at the height of the paramilitary group's assassination campaign against Catholic civilians.
According papers released by the Public Record Office in Belfast, on December 19th, 1972, Whitelaw met a deputation from the United Loyalist Council, an umbrella group comprising Ulster Vanguard, the Ulster Defence Association, the Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW) and the Orange Volunteers.
The deputation was led by William Craig MP, chairman of Vanguard, and included Jim Anderson, the chairman of the UDA, Tommy Herron, vice-chairman of the UDA, Billy Hull of LAW and Capt Austin Ardill of the Vanguard movement. At the outset Craig submitted a document on behalf of the United Loyalist Council demanding restoration of strong government at Stormont with control of internal security and rejecting any notion of a Council of Ireland.
The Vanguard leader said the union had always been regarded as a basis of stability but many now thought - in view of the present policies of the British government - that Northern Ireland would be better off as an independent state.
If Westminster did not want Northern Ireland to remain in the UK, they should say so and give the majority power to maintain the state.
For his part, Whitelaw reminded Craig the Stormont authorities had asked the British army to move in and assist the civil power in 1969. Craig acknowledged this but said that if the Northern Ireland government had not been inhibited by London they could have prevented the escalation of violence themselves. The B Specials were not, in fact, hated by the vast majority of the people, although certain politicians found advantage in saying that. The secretary of state said he fully accepted the need to strengthen the police but the fact was that, apart from those who were determined to destroy the state, "there were whole communities who were not prepared to accept the RUC".
The problem was how to achieve a general acceptance of the RUC and an accompanying reduction in the need for army support. It was true, Whitelaw said, that support for the IRA was waning but there had been no corresponding acceptance of the police.
Craig said the only way to gain acceptance of the RUC was to support the re-establishment of the authority of the police, even if this meant that tough measures were necessary for a time. "Some innocent people might get hurt, but in the long term the number would be smaller than if a policy of appeasement towards republicans and terrorists were continued. The situation was comparable with that of a class of naughty children who had to be disciplined by a strict teacher."
The delegation said disbandment of the B Specials had undermined the police force. Capt Ardill argued for a complete rejection of the Hunt report on police reform and the re-establishment of the B Specials. George Green of the B Specials Association told the meeting private loyalist armies were being built up for protection and could make themselves available to the government.
However, Whitelaw said there was no question of appeasement. It was not practicable simply to put the clock back and re-establish the B Specials.
Billy Hull of LAW said many people had been disturbed by references by the secretary of state to the "Irish dimension". Whitelaw replied that the "Irish dimension" could not be ignored, but so long as the majority wished Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK, a Council of Ireland could deal only with economic and social issues.
Hull said the people of Northern Ireland had a right to democratic institutions. Stormont should be restored. It was proper that unionists be appointed to important posts. Whitelaw said one party rule for 50 years was not in the real interests of any country. Unless the minority could be persuaded to co-operate, the same problems would recur.