Raise The Red Hand: A NI TL

By the summer of 1978 the situation in Ulster had calmed somewhat. The number of dead had dropped to less than 50, a sad figure of course but compared to the triple digits of the last few years it was a considerable achievement.

In a cabinet meeting just before parliament rose for the summer break Callaghan decided on an October election. He stated that the decision was a close one but the (temporary) stability of the economy was decisive.

Mason was satisfied. He was against the Lib-Lab pact and thought a strong labour government would be able to continue the economic recovery. In terms of Ulster it meant that there would have to be no reliance on either the SDLP or UUP.
 
October 1978 General Election

Labour 339
Conservative 269
Liberal 11

Overall Majority of 43:

Prime Minister: Jim Callaghan
Home Secretary: Merlyn Rees
Ulster Secretary: Roy Mason
 
The idea was this. If a call came through regarding a disturbance then troops would be sent in to quell any trouble. The police would be kept behind to calm any potential flashpoints.

The Army would be the lightning conductor while the RUC would ensure day to day crime in the province was given full focus

Mason, 1999
That would not workwork. It didn't work historically.

BBC Radio Ulster News 17th September 1976

"The secretary of State has just announced that all flags are to be banned from all public buildings in the province."
Wouldn't Queen Elizabeth have something to say out this?

Taking the flegs from norn iron is gonna be fun.
It's get a lot about of soldiers and police killed in ambushes.

Ian paisley must be having a stroke
One can hope.
 
I'm basing the first point on this:
At Stormont Mason was responsible for the tougher role taken by the security forces (from wikipedia)

Her Majesty would have given approval to the second

With the increase in military action the risk of ambushes lessons

Paisley can look forward to a long retirement
 
By the end of 1979 Northern Ireland had against all odds started to see some level of normality. The death toll whilst still in three figures was no-where near the levels of bloodshed of previous administrations. There had been some pressure from Pat Arrowsmith during the election but on the whole the mood on the streets was less tense then it had been for 10 years.

Then came the announcement of the merger...
 
BBC Nationwide December 1979

Frank Bough. Good Evening, tonight on Nationwide we analyse the surprising merger between the two unionist parties in Northern Ireland. The Ulster Unionists and Democratic Unionists have formed the UUDP the Ulster Unionist Democratic Party in response they say to the policies of the government, we speak to the Reverend Ian Paisley. All that and more at 6.20. Its time to go Nationwide.
 
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