Protestant leaders sit out Irish talks Britain set up

Prominent Protestant politicians boycotted talks called by the British government to discuss the worsening economy in Northern Ireland. They dismissed the talks as an attempt by James Prior, minister for Northern Ireland, to bring rival Roman Catholic and Protestant parties together with the ultimate aim of moving toward reunification with Ireland.

Since attempts at a political solution fizzled, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce will call for a meeting of industrialists rather than politicians to try to revive the province's economy.