Just two days after Whitelaw took office, the former Northern Irish Prime Minister, Brian Faulkner, joined William Craig, leader of the new Ulster Vanguard Party, at a demonstration outside Stormont. There were up to 100,000 people present, which created fears that Craig and his party might actually attempt a coup. In the event, Faulkner urged the crowd to campaign peacefully for an end to direct rule and the re-establishment of the Stormont government. Even so, the rally illustrated the depth of unionist anger that Whitelaw faced.
William Whitelaw, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The Ulster Vanguard Party organised mass rallies calling for the return of Stormont. Paramilitary Violence Continues
Republican groups saw the end of Stormont as evidence that their campaign of terrorism was having an effect. The Provisional IRA now intensified its campaign by targeting British soldiers and buildings of economic value, in an effort to convince the British government that it was in their own interest to withdraw from Northern Ireland. The IRA’s activities were partially sheltered by the ‘no-go’ areas of Belfast and Derry. These were nationalist districts which the army did not enter because their presence would more than likely be met by violent riots.
Loyalist paramilitaries parade through the streets.
Loyalists also increased their activity. Over an 18-month period between 1972 and 1973, loyalist murder squads killed over 200 Catholics, most of them innocent civilians. During this period the terrorist UDA began developing links with the army, and a number of UDA members also became involved with the security reserve, the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR).
