New Writ

Part of Messages from the Queen – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 28 July 1981.

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Photo of Mr Gerry Fitt Mr Gerry Fitt , Belfast West 12:00, 28 July 1981

No. I am asking for your direction, Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Is it within your ambit to accept or reject the motion that has been proposed, or is it for the House to decide? This issue has been well publicised in the past few days in the national newspapers. Have you taken into account, Mr. Speaker, that the emaciated dead or dying body of an IRA hunger striker is a more lethal weapon than an Armalite rifle in the arms of the men of violence?

By accepting the motion now, the House may be condemning hunger strikers and others to death.—[HON. MEMBERS: "This is not a point of order."] Have you taken that fact into account, Mr. Speaker? If the writ is moved, there will be an election in August. The House will not be sitting, so there will be no urgency for a voice to he heard on behalf of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. If the election takes place—