Stable Rejectionism

Politically, as mentioned, the late 1970s proved a quiet period. James Molyneaux, the UUP Westminster MP, had increasingly emerged as Unionist leader along with his confederate Enoch Powell. Martin Smyth, as a leading UUP Convention member (1975– 7) and in 1982 a new Westminster MP, was in close contact with Molyneaux. Molyneaux knew that the return of Stormont was—for the moment—a dead letter but remained the long-term goal. Realizing that devolution and power-sharing were irrevocably yoked, Molyneaux charted a cautious course. He accepted Direct Rule as a temporary expedient and emphasized ‘administrative devolution ‘ as an alternative to legislative devolution.

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