On This Day / August 27, 1970

‘Liberal’ Minister Quits

The appointment of Mr John Taylor to Minister of State has caused undisguised alarm in Opposition circles.

The derivation from Parliamentary Secretary was announced yesterday simultaneously with the resignation of the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Robert Porter, QC.

Mr Gerry Fitt, MP, leader of the new SDLP, immediately called for a recall of the Stormont Parliament to discuss the ‘dangerous situation’ that had now arisen.

The Alliance Party saw Mr Taylor’s appointment as a ‘coming home present’ for Mr Paisley [soon to be released from jail].

Mr Austin Currie, MP said: ‘Taylor’s appointment is unquestionably a move to the right, made worse by the fact that Home Affairs is a key ministry in relation to the whole Civil Rights programme. Porter was the only liberal in the Cabinet…’

Craig in Guns Promise

Mr William Craig [former Home Affairs Minister sacked by O’Neill] told a Young Unionist rally in Derry last night that when the next Stormont Government came in there would be an armed police force and a police reserve force with 10,000 men.

He said the police would not necessarily carry arms, but these would be available at each police station if they were needed.

In an hour-long speech, Mr Craig castigated the present government for what he said was their inept handling of the North’s problems.

At the present time there is the greatest effort ever made to destroy Ulster.

Mr Harry West said the government must go and be replaced by a government of traditional Unionists.

RUC Arms Issue

A permanent special committee is being set up to advise Sir Arthur Young, RUC Chief Constable, about the supply, use and availability of arms. The move follows a decision by the Police Representative Body to discover how many of the 3,500 men want guns back.

Houses and Jobs for Derry

More than half of the nearly 2,000 families now on the waiting list for homes in the Derry area may be housed by the end of the year.

And there are already enough houses planned or under construction to house them all, according to yesterday’s Derry Development Commission report.

A major concern of the Commission is the attraction of new industry to Derry.

The report shows that since mid-1967 ten new firms have been established.

[Dr Phoenix notes: As the civil rights reforms began to take effect, the SDLP voiced concern at the departure of the moderate minister, Porter at Home Affairs.

The promotion of the anti-reform Taylor was seen as evidence of a lurch to the right by the embattled Chichester-Clark government as IRA bombings and verbal attacks from Craig and Paisley intensified.]