DIARY OF THE YEAR
Wednesday 24 February: with the publication of the Government's Immigration Bill, it was confirmed that from 1 January 1972 common- wealth citizens will no longer have the auto- matic right to settle in Britain and would have to register with police. Mr Carr's conciliation moves in the PO dispute ended when union leaders walked out. At midnight the final guillo- tine on the Industrial Relations Bill fell with 111 clauses out of the 150 not debated.
Thursday 25 February: 100,000 policemen were today awarded pay increases ranging from 11-20 per cent. Mr Murdoch's efforts to take control of LWT were given a setback when the ITA insisted he must relinquish his powers as chair- man. in his second 'state of the world' message to Congress Mr Nixon warned of recent huge increases in Russian strategic military strength. Friday 26 February: British Rail today offered railwaymen an 8 per cent pay rise, but unions were expected to reject it and a national strike is feared. In Belfast policemen were killed by machine-gun fire and bomb explosions as riots
flared in the Ardoyne area.
Saturday 27 February: in an` attempt to stop a weekend of riots Ulster police were issued with bullet-proof vests and accompanied by armed military escort. President Sadat of Egypt, in an effort to get the Suez ceasefire extended, an- nounced that be would accept any unanimous decision by UK, France, USSR and USA.
Sunday 28 February: yet another ship, this time a Greek freighter, has sunk after hitting a Channel wreck. At least ten people were lost. In Laos the fighting around Hill 31 was described by General Wayland as 'the worst of the war'.
Monday 1 March: Whitehall estimated that 1,200,000 engineers and other workers took part in today's one-day strike by the AEU against the Industrial Relations Bill. Britain's second-largest motor insurance company, Vehicle and General, has collapsed affecting over 500,000 drivers. Tuesday 2 March: while the offices of Vehicle and General were being beseiged by angry motorists, Prince Charles was being given the Freedom of the City. In Norway the coalition government has resigned after the leaking of a secret report.
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