THE Northern Secretary faced sustained and angry questioning from TDs, Labour MPs, and the deputy leader of the SDLP, Mr Seamus Mallon, yesterday over the RUC's handling of the Orange demonstration at Drumcree in July.
Sir Patrick Mayhew repeatedly refused to give a "guarantee" that in similar circumstances there would be no climbdown by the police in the face of mob violence. Arguing that tactics might have to change on the ground in response to uncontrollable force, he cited the burning of the British embassy's chancery building in Dublin in 1972 as an example of police having to yield to overwhelming numbers.
Mr Desmond O'Malley, Minister for Justice at the time, rejected the comparison which, he claimed, was meant as "a kind of justification" for Drumcree. Tens of thousands of people had been protesting in a spontaneous demonstration against the shooting dead of 13 men in Derry by British soldiers.
Like other members of the Oireachtas and the British parliament, who are meeting in Bath at the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body's half-yearly conference, Mr O'Malley pointed to evidence that leading Orangemen, including the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, were aware of the change of strategy by the RUC hours before it was announced.
Mr Mallon asked: "How else were Orangemen inspired to go to their homes, get into their suits, get their white cuffs washed, to march in the streets that morning? The dogs in the streets knew the evening before of the change of policy. The record should be put straight."
Sir Patrick said he was "very surprised" Mr O'Malley thought he had been trying to justify the violence at Drumcree which he had described at the time as unjustifiable and abominable.
The British government had understood the circumstances surrounding the burning of the British embassy building in 1972 and had not made a protest. He asked for the "same understanding" of the dilemma facing the Chief Constable of the RUC, Sir Hugh Annesley, at Drumcree.
He told Mr Mallon he believed the account he had given of how and when the decision was made to allow the Orange marchers to proceed "to be accurate".
Earlier he told delegates "dull and dogged patience coupled with determination" was required in the peace process.
"The atrocious events associated with and surrounding Drumcree served as a timely reminder to us all of what Northern Ireland could become if all the work to secure a peaceful accommodation in Northern Ireland fails."
Backward steps had led to a hardening of attitudes, Sir Patrick said, but there were positive aspects, including the fact that the peace talks had been launched and had agreed on rules of procedure within six weeks, "after the events at Drumcree".