Molyneaux says No to agreement in message to Lurgan rally

A statement from the former Ulster Unionist Party leader, Lord Molyneaux, confirming that he would be voting against the Belfast…

A statement from the former Ulster Unionist Party leader, Lord Molyneaux, confirming that he would be voting against the Belfast Agreement in Friday's referendum was read out at a rally in Lurgan on Saturday evening.

Mr Denis Watson, the County Grand Master of the Orange Order in Armagh, read the message to the 400-strong crowd attending the United Unionist No rally.

"In accordance with my stated position of April 15th, I shall vote No on Friday's referendum, as I did in the 1975 referendum on the Common Market," the message said. On April 15th, Lord Molyneaux spoke against the agreement at a meeting of the Grand Orange Lodge in Belfast.

Mr Watson, a member of Mr David Trimble's Upper Bann Constituency Association, also called for his resignation as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. Mr Roy Beggs, one of six UUP MPs opposed to the agreement, also spoke at the rally, as did the UK Unionist leader, Mr Robert McCartney, and the DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson.

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Mr Beggs said people should not take chances on promises being made. "It is the deal you are voting on. Vote No, No, No," he said, to loud applause.

Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien also attended the meeting. He received a warm welcome from the crowd and a standing ovation from the platform as he was helped up a step ladder to take a seat beside his party leader, Mr McCartney. Mr Philip Black, the chairman of the local United Unionist committee, described Dr Cruise O'Brien as "a great supporter of the Union".

A parade through the centre of Lurgan preceded the rally. It was led by a marching band and eight young boys carrying loyalist flags. The main banner read "If in doubt, kick it out. Vote No." The town centre was closed to traffic, and those not attending the rally were not allowed into the main street.

Mr Jim Dixon, who was severely injured in the Enniskillen bombing, appealed to those present to vote No. "I am not in politics. I am in security, the security of Northern Ireland. I have a house and it is not for sale," he said, and demanded that the British government "puts its foot down on terrorists".

A specially-penned song, entitled Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Trimble, if you think the Union's safe, to the tune of the music from Dad's Army, was sung by a young member of the DUP, Mr Paul Berry.

Mr Peter Robinson said that if the agreement came into effect, "all the politics of the province will be based on all-Ireland structures", and that Sinn Fein leaders would have control of key government departments.

Mr McCartney said he was against the agreement because it allowed terrorists back on the streets, and the assertion that it strengthened the Union was manifestly untrue. He added: "We reject this agreement because we are democrats, who believe in the rule of law".

There was a family atmosphere at the rally as scores of children ran around waving placards and Union flags. This was interrupted when a nationalist protester, who had managed to get through the police lines, shouted at the speakers.

A number of people in the crowd tried to follow the man, shouting: "Go home, you gypsy." Mr McCartney, who was speaking at the time, appealed to people to stay where they were, reminding them that it was a peaceful protest.

Minutes later there was a brief disturbance when a loyalist in the crowd heckled Mr McCartney: "I am a working-class Protestant. I speak for the loyalist people. Do we have to go down on our knees?" he shouted before being led from the front of the platform.

Mrs Peggy O'Hara, mother of hunger-striker Patsy O'Hara, who died with nine others in the Maze Prison in 1981, has declared her support for the No campaign.