Northern Ireland now assumes some considerable importance in British politics. We have had much talk about the slim majority Labour has but fiardiay anyone: has drawn attention to the fact that in Greet Britain Tabour has a working majority of 16 over all other parties.. It is when we add Horthern Ireland to make up the United Kinjdom Parlianent that Labour's jead slumps to 4, ‘This is because the 12 Ulster seats are solidly and, apparently, irremovably Tory. Why should this be? Acearding te a pamphlet we have just received:
“The position in Northern Ireland is that less than two thirds of the Population is Conservative and Unionist and the other third Nationalist... The Conservatives and Unionists, by manipuleti of the electoral boundar— des in a very uwidenocratic wey.e.... have for yenrs returned all twelve members to Yestminster. Obviously something is very wrong here. Gerryman— dering’ is also done at a local level when one Conservative and Unionist vote is often equivalent to two opposition votesssselhis is achieved in 3 ways: (1) by housing 211 the Nationalists in one darge ward and keeping the other wards small and predominantly Conservative and Unionist; (2) by means of the Compeny vote.' For every £10 Poor Law Valuation of premises tensnted by a Limited Company, the Company is entitled tc one extra vote up to a limit of six votes, ¢.¢,, a firm with 100 branches can control 600 extra votes at locnl elections....(3) in order to squeeze out the Nationalists and force them to emigrate the Unionist controlled coumecils build very few houses for Nationalists. The latter ere kept on waiting lists for up to twelve years, whilst safe Conservative and Unionist voters receive houses an the same town even before they are married..."
These are very serious sllegations ~ but they are very adequately substantiated by = mass of facts and fipures, Space doesn't permit us to quote in great length but to give just one example:
The pamphlet ¢ives a break down of the votin position in the three Wards which make up Londenderry. These are South ward - 135,716 Nationalists, +,569 Conservatives and Unionists. North Ward - 4,564 Unionists, 299° Netionalists. Waterside Ward - 4,405 Unionista, 2,715 Nationclists. Which leads toa.position where out of total electorate of 30,000, 10,500 Unionists secure 12 seats, but 19,500 Nationnlists only secure § seats,
Having got control of the mmicipalities, 1s well as the Northern ireland Parliament, the Unionists pursue a policy to maintain their political domination. ‘This includes bribes to the Protestant people, «nd a policy of keeping down the Catholic population. That these policies are quite conscious is shown by numerous quotations from Unionist leaders,
But this question ia not one of morel indignation - the question of the Government in Britain itself could quite easily be determined by this situation, The Campaign for Social Justice in Northern Ireland points out That legally the U.K. Parliament hes ultimate responsibility for the set up in Northern Ireland. The matter must surely receive some attention from the new Lebour Government - its future may depend upon sorting it out! * The Campaign for Socinl Justice in Northern Ireland, Castleficids, Dungennon, Northern Ireland, This committee has produced several _ pamphlets on the question and is anxious to achieve their maximum distribution in Great Britain. The committee will welcome enquiries. be