Changing Relations - Towards Closer Cooperation

Question 1

new SDLP leader 1979

Answer 1

John Hume

Question 2

when and what was the Brighton Hotel bombing?

Answer 2

12th october 1984
PIRA assassination attempt against the top tier of British government (inc Maggie T) at a conservative party convention in brighton
shortly afterwards, Thatcher signed the Anglo-Irish agreement

Question 3

when was the Anglo-Irish Agreement signed?

Answer 3

15th november 1985

Question 4

who signed the anglo irish agreement

Answer 4

Margaret thatcher and garret fitzgerald

Question 5

what were the points of the anglo irish agreement

Answer 5

establishment of an intergovernmental conference, dealing with issues such as security, legal matters, political questions and improving cross-border cooperation
a permanent secretariat made up of northern and southern civil servants to provide administrative support to the conference
devolution would only occur if there was an agreement on the sharing of power

Question 6

why was the anglo-irish agreement signed?

Answer 6

constitutional nationalists and the british government were afraid that sinn fein might overtake the SDLP
thatcher’s main reason was security - brighton
fitzgerald hoped that reduced nationalist alienation and reform of the security forces in NI could undermine the minority’s toleration of the IRA

Question 7

unionist reaction to anglo-irish agreement

Answer 7

rejected it - felt they had been abandoned by their own government and believed they were in a process that would lead to a UI
didn’t they were kept in the dark about negotiations while SDLP had been consulted

Question 8

SDLP reaction to anglo-irish agreement

Answer 8

backed it - had been given a role in its creation more than any other ni party

Question 9

sinn fein reaction to anglo-irish agreement

Answer 9

made division more permanent - irish gov was recognising existence of NI and accepting UI was a long-term aim that would only happen with the consent of the majority

Question 10

unionist tactics to show their opposition to the angloirish agreement

Answer 10

bonfires burning models of margaret thatcher
march to HQ of angloirish secretariat
protest rally at belfast city hall 23rd Nov 1985
all 15 unionist Mps resigned their seats at westminster
2rd March 1986 Unionist day of action
campaign of civil disobedience eg refusal to set rates in unionist areas, boycott westminster