SLAM THE DOOR, ENFORCE THE UNION
J. Enoch Powell suggests ways in which the Government can prove to the IRA that it cannot win
`ONCE the IRA is recognised as a quasi- military enemy, it can be dealt with' in terms 'suitable for such an opponent,' says The Spectator ('Rules of the game', 18 Jan- uary). Amen; and how, pray, is a military enemy dealt with? Answer: by proving to him that he cannot win.
That is how Her Majesty's Government is conspicuously not behaving. 'Winning' for the IRA means forcing Ulster out of the United Kingdom or forcing the United Kingdom to force Ulster out.
Now, how would the Government set out to prove — as near as humanly possible that the IRA cannot win?
First, they have to terminate the Anglo- Irish Agreement, which furnishes the first instalment of a united Ireland by giving to the government of the Republic a guaran- teed input into the government of that part, and that part only, of the United Kingdom.
Secondly, they have to treat Northern Ireland in Parliament as part of the United Kingdom. We do not make laws for Corn- wall by Orders in Council: Cornwall is cov- ered by Parliamentary Bills. Let the Government remove from all future legis- lation that ubiquitous (and iniquitous) sub- section: 'This Bill does not extend to Northern Ireland'.
Thirdly, they must bleat no more about 'talks'. What are those 'talks' about? About taking Northern Ireland a stage further away from the United Kingdom and nearer to being part of an all-Ireland state. Any- body who thought that 'talks' would he about strengthening the Union would be a bigger fool than any Secretary of State with which Northern Ireland has ever been afflicted. So slam the door. 'Talks', my foot; or 'talks', if 'talks' there must be, about ways to strengthen the Union.
Fourthly, let elected authorities in Northern Ireland administer (by means of a council tax, if you like) whatever their equivalents administer in Great Britain, and let everything else in Northern Ireland be administered as it is administered in Great Britain.
Phew! When a British government does those four things, the very four things they have persistently declined to do, the IRA will know the game is up and they cannot win. They will know that Her Majesty's Government has at last, in reality and not in humbug, stopped 'giving in to terrorism' — or giving in to America, for that matter. What the IRA is not afraid of is a British government which is seen to be afraid of being seen to mean Union when it says Union.
The IRA's declared object is to get the United Kingdom out of the island of Ire- land. In pursuit of that cause they go on murdering and destroying because they believe they are winning; and when one watches the behaviour of government and listens to its words, who can say that they are mistaken?
Oh, but — what about the Irish Repub- lic? Believe me, it would heave a sigh of relief. The thing which its politicians dread most and which its electors desire least is a united Ireland. It might for form's sake dis- sent; but object in reality it would not.
Nor would the majority of 'the Catholics', who in election after election help to return representatives from 16 out of 17 of the Northern Ireland constituen- cies to go to the seat of United Kingdom government at Westminster. They could, if they wanted, vote for candidates who say, `Elect me, and I won't go to London.' Only they don't.
They know that the assurance of the Union continuing, they know that govern- ment, genuine government, under the United Kingdom Parliament, is the only way peace is ever going to return to their province. They know that the IRA, which is their enemy as well as ours, will only be 'dealt with' when Britain has the courage, the honesty and the fairness to act as stated above.
J. Enoch Powell was MP for South Down from 1974 to 1987
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