The proposed Irish " settlement " reached what we must
assume to be an irremediable breakdown in the House of Commons on Mon- day. Mr. Redmond opened fire by asking Mr. Asquith whether the Government had made up their mind to insert in the draft Bill proposals which were at variance with the agreement reached in the Lloyd George negotiations, and whether he had received an intimation that the Bill in this form would be vigorously opposed by the Irish Nationalists. Mr. Asquith thereupon read a written reply, which is summarized as follows in the Times " (1) It was common ground to all the parties that the six Ulster counties should not bo subject to automatic inclusion, and the Govern- ment did not propose to do more than make that sure. (2) The Govern- ment could not agree to the retention of the Irish Members in the Imperial Parliament in undiminished numbers, as provided by one of the heads of the agreement, after the next Election, except for the purpose of any proposed alteration of the Home Rule Act or of the Amending Bill."
For the rest, Mr. Asquith made it clear that the Government would not introduce any Bill unless all parties were substantially agreed.
