He held his seat in subsequent elections, but in 1972 he refused to join the other UUP MPs in resigning the Conservative Party whip.
[2] In August 1969, at the outset of The Troubles, Mills travelled with Robin Bailie to the United States to counter the fund raising efforts of Bernadette Devlin, and to promote the Unionist point of view to an American audience.
Devlin responded that the $200,000 in contributions was to be administered by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association for the benefit of riot victims.
[4] In December 1971, Mills derided the Republic of Ireland for being a safe haven for members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.
He also pointed out how IRA members operated freely in the Republic, including collecting money from local supporters, training camps, public meetings, and recruiting volunteers.