1978: Brtish soldier on patrol. Photo Syd Shelton.
In our fourth article to mark the 40th anniversary of the CPBML by looking at the past four decades through the eyes of Workers and its predecessor, The Worker, we look at the despatch of troops to northern Ireland...
The issue of northern Ireland is a test of workers’ internationalism, today just as it was from 1922 when Ireland was split and Northern Ireland annexed.
Very early in the life of the CPBML, it passed this test when all other political organisations failed. In November 1969, the Labour government used rioting by Unionists as an excuse to send British troops into Ireland. Its aim was to maintain the British state's rule over part of its oldest colony, to keep Ireland divided, by propping up Ulster's colonial minority regime against the civil rights movement's demand for 'one man, one vote'. The Ministry of Defence said that the Army was to “give strong-arm assistance to the local authority.” The Army announced, “We are in aid of the civil power.”
This open support for Unionism precluded peacekeeping and democracy. The Party at once called for the withdrawal of the troops and for respect for the Irish people’s right to national independence and self-determination.
On 5 September 1971, the Party organised a march ending in a rally in Trafalgar Square that called for ‘Troops out of Ireland, Ireland one nation’. Our Chairman Reg Birch spoke from the platform, at the foot of Nelson's Column.
“Now is the testing time of workers here. We cannot be free ourselves except we fight for the freedom of Irish workers as they are fighting for us.
“What shall we do? We call for the withdrawal of all troops – the Stormont Ku Klux Klan, the imperialist forces, the special Ulster ‘defence’ body, the lot. All workers here, the whole labour movement, all the unions, must support this demand. British soldiers were sent into Ulster by the Labour Government. Their policy of aggression was endorsed by the Tory Government. General Freeland gave the orders ‘shoot to kill’. This brought about the armed struggle of people in defence of their homes, their families.
“We as a Party say let us end this chapter in the history of British imperialism now! Let the workers of this country say once and for all – get the troops out of Ireland. Let the Irish people decide their own destiny themselves.”
The October 1971 issue of The Worker carried an article, ‘Workers demand: British Troops out of Ireland now!’
On Sunday September 5th more than a thousand workers including a large Irish contingent marched through the centre of London to join with an even larger crowd in Trafalgar Square to demand the immediate withdrawal of British troops from Ireland.
This impressive demonstration of the solidarity of British workers with their Irish brothers in denouncing British imperialism was organised by the Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist). It was an event of political significance. It was the right demonstration on the right issue at the right time.
The situation in Ireland was correctly defined – a colonial war waged by British imperialism against the Irish people. British troops are in Ireland for no other purpose than to kill and terrorise all who challenge Britain's colonial rule which began 800 years ago.
It is a war against Irish workers waged by the same British ruling class that exploits and oppresses workers in this country. Therefore this is a testing time for the workers of Britain. We cannot be free except we declare ourselves in the freedom struggle of the Irish people and take action with them against British imperialism, our common enemy.