Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 13 Rhagfyr 1973.
That was a very long intervention, but I shall bear with it gladly. It is a pity that the hon. Gentleman does not read the full quotation. However, I shall answer him.
The House will not accept what I say, but hon. Members will learn that the House cannot reject 264,000 voters and say that all is well. The members of the Loyalist groups in the Assembly have only one way open to them, and that is to use their power within the Assembly to obstruct the business of the Assembly.
I have seen obstruction in this House. I have also seen Members of this House filibustering. This House has a certain reputation, but if something happens in the Assembly—that is terrible ! I have seen scuffles in this House and have heard Members, including the hon. Member for Salford, West (Mr. Orme) using very strong words about Acts of Parliament, about the Industrial Relations Act and what they will do about it. I would not say that they were threats, but they were political engagements. If this Parliament says, "We will deal with the Loyalist leaders, we will get them removed from the House, we will pass Standing Orders so that they will not be able to do what they desire to do", that will be all right. The elected representatives will have been removed, but what will this Parliament have then? It will have an entire cutting off of that community from any legitimate communication in the political field. Is that what this House wants? Does it want the opposition to this Act outside a locked door? That is what we are heading for.
We are simply asking to be heard, in the same way as we asked to be heard at Sunningdale, but that door was closed on us. Then we were told by the Prime Minister on television that we were invited. I spoke to the Secretary of State, and he knows what he told me. He said, "Your interpretation of my letter is absolutely correct. You are not invited to be a participating member in this conference. You are invited only to appear as a deputation. Give your views and then leave." We did not want to be a deputation. We wanted to have our rightful say, but we were not given our say. This House will pass this Bill, the people will not be heard and their elected representatives will not be listened to.