Craig’s Perspective
28 November 1921
Final Conclusions of Cabinet Meeting, 28 November 1921
Northern Ireland unionists did not always feel that the Westminster government had their best interests at heart. Suspicions about potential betrayal from Westminster encouraged Northern Ireland unionists to arm themselves against the British in defence of their constitutional position in 1914. This distrust continued even after Northern Ireland had secured the supposed guarantee of their own parliament. James Craig, accompanied by Northern Ireland’s most senior civil servant, met David Lloyd George in London on 25 November for an hour. This extract from a Northern Ireland cabinet meeting on 28 November shows that behind closed doors, Craig felt that the British Government were disregarding their previous firm commitments to Ulster.
General Review Of The Situation
The Prime Minister read out the correspondence of the 18th and 20th November, between himself and Mr. Lloyd George. He also gave an account of his meeting with Mr. Lloyd George on the 25th instant, and read out the statement which had been agreed between them with regard to the present situation for publication.
He indicated that it would be very easy for him to deliver a smashing attack upon the Government quoting from their own speeches and action and showing how they had broken their pledges. He considered however, that there was a distinct possibility that the Government was changing its attitude towards Ulster, and that we should therefore do nothing to quarrel with those who might again be friendly to our interests especially as it was possible that new proposals might be put forward for consideration.
