Northern Ireland

Derry Provisional Sinn Féin Hits Out at Hume – On This Day in 1973

File photo dated 22/03/1973 of Former SDLP leader John Hume (right) who challenged his senior colleagues about privately __QUOTEMARK__consorting__QUOTEMARK__ with Fianna Fail TDs as he battled to secure his leadership. State files show a senior Foreign Affairs official was briefed by Mr Hume about tensions between senior party members after ex-leader Gerry Fitt (left) resigned in 1979. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday December 30 2011. In December that year just after Mr Hume was elected head of the SDLP he told his Irish government contact he had confronted both Seamus Mallon and Paddy Duffy. __QUOTEMARK__Part of Mr Hume's concerns at present seems to be the restriction of Seamus Mallon's role __QUOTEMARK__ the official wrote. __QUOTEMARK__He referred again to contacts which Mallon was said to have had with certain members of the Fianna Fail party who are rumoured to hold views on Northern Ireland policy differing from those of the government. See PA story RECORDS SDLP Ireland. Photo credit should read: PA Wire
John Hume (right) pictured in 1973 with party leader Gerry Fitt, who led the SDLP into the short-lived power-sharing government formed following talks at Sunningdale in England
By Cormac Moore

December 23 1973

Derry Provisional Sinn Féin has accused SDLP Assemblyman John Hume of having departed from the anti-internment and anti-RUC stand and to have “abdicated his principles on both matters”.

A statement referred to the recent Sunningdale talks and declared that the results of these were negative for the “people’s desire to secure freedom for this country” and reminded Mr Hume of a statement he made following “Bloody Sunday” – “It’s united Ireland now or nothing”.

The protest statement in the form of an open letter to Mr Hume said there were growing feelings of concern over the SDLP’s “apparent submission to the will of Brian Faulkner to have the RUC reintroduced into Republican areas” and added that Mr Hume’s own position was “rather baffling”.

“To the man in the street you have totally abdicated your principles and your party’s complete silence on the barbaric force-feeding of young Irishmen and girls reinforces the conviction that your silence and connivance with Faulkner and Heath is merely to ensure your own financial security in a sham, undemocratic Stormont,” the statement said.

It asked for a reply “in confirmation or denial of your apparent treachery”.

John Hume and the SDLP, as well as facing opposition from loyalists and unionists to the Sunningdale Communique, also faced opposition from republicans, with Sinn Féin accusing Hume and the SDLP of climbing down on previously held strong stances on internment and policing.

The oil crisis in 1973 led to fuel shortages across Europe (PA/PA)

New Year Hoist for Petrol

Motorists face paying another two to three pence a gallon for their petrol because of the Persian Gulf states’ decision to almost double the price of crude oil from New Year’s Day. But the big petrol companies are expected to take some weeks to study yesterday’s announcement and work out how much extra they will have to charge on top of last week’s government-inspired 3p rise.

Other oil products are likely to rise in price, also.

The six Gulf states – Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Qatar – yesterday decided to raise their prices from 5.11 dollars a barrel to 11.6 dollars a barrel.

And the seven other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries have said they will go along with the Gulf prices. So about 85 per cent of the world’s oil exports could be affected.

The charges represent only a small amount of the total price charged to consumers. The rest is made up with British Government tax, transport, refining and distribution costs.

Effects of the price rise will also be felt by the rest of industry and could lead to a wide range of price rises because of the increased cost of fuel.

Common Market Commission sources said, in Brussels, last night: “The whole situation is very grave and difficult”. The commission had estimated that a prolonged crisis could double the number of unemployed in the EEC and plunge Western Europe into its worst recession since World War Two.

But the OPEC last night announced plans for a long-term petroleum pricing policy, and said it may seek a dialogue with oil consumers to prevent spiralling cost increases.

Households were dealt a huge blow in the lead up to Christmas 1973 as the cost of living crisis worsened with the Gulf states and OPEC deciding to almost double the price of crude oil from the beginning of 1974.