Foreign affairs and Ireland (Thatcher) Flashcards
Thatcher and Europe
When she came into power, she was confronted by the record of Britain poor economic performance of the 1970s, partially caused by the adjustments made when Britain entered the EEC.
Her main concerns were:
Protectionism was outmoded.
Europe was obsessed with a dated concept of centralisation wheat that polity was clearly collapsing in the wider world.
The disparity between the budget payments made by the separate member states reward the inefficient nations and penalised the efficient ones.
The issue of federalism
Disturbed by the threat that this held:
Stressed how young European institutions were.
Felt that Europe could become the prey of creeping socialism.
Britain and EEC budget
Britain’s disproportionately high payments into EEC.
The EEC reluctantly authorised a reduction in Britain’s budget payments.
Bruges speech 1988. She condemned the erosion of democracy by centralisation and bureaucracy.
The Single European act
- She drew Britain even closer to Europe.
The main terms:
Committed themselves to closer monetary and political union.
The principle of supranationality (the subordination of individual member states to the EEC) was established.
The right of individual member states to veto majority decisions was abolished.
Exchange rate mechanism
October 1990.
Told that it would provide a means of controlling inflation.
In the the event, it did the opposite and in 1992, a monetary crisis obliged Britain to withdraw from this.
ERM- a system which brought European currencies much closer together in value as preparation for the eventual adoption of a single European currency.
Thatcher and Hong Kong
British colony of Hong Kong was formed in 1898.
It became a haven for those fleeing communist rule. Thousands of businessmen and bankers, who brought their wealth with them, settled in Hong Kong, and turned it into a world centre of manufacturing, commerce and finance.
It was agreed in 1898, that Hong Kong would be returned to China in 1997.
95% of the population of Hong Kong wanted to stay British.
Joint declaration 1984
Aware of its military and moral weaknesses, all Britain could work for was a compromise, that would give Hong Kong, some form of legally binding protection after it was returned to China.
Sino-British joint declaration was signed in December 1984:
Britain agreed that all areas that made up Hong Kong would be returned to PRC.
In return, the Chinese communists declared that Hong Kong after 1997 would be treated as a special administrative region until 2047.
Hong Kong democrates
Difficulties arose in the period up to the takeover.
Opposed by Hong Kong democrats who felt that the Declaration wouldn’t give them sufficient protection.
Thatcher: the Iron Lady
By the end of her period in office, Thatcher was more popular abroad than she was at home.
She played a part in bringing the collapse of the Soviet Union.
For many in Eastern Europe, she became a symbol of freedom. In Poland, there were chapels and shrine dedicated to her.
Thatcher and Ronald Reagan
Reagan was greatly impressed by Thatchers handling of the Falklands affair.
The agreed that the West had to remain armed with nuclear weapons.
Britain brought Trident missiles to replace Polaris systems at an initial cost of £10 million.
In addition, UK allowed the USA to install its Cruise missiles at the US air force bases at Greenham Common.
In 1983, Reagan announced the development of a Strategic Defence Initiative (known as Star Wars)that would give the USA complete protection in terms of a missile attack. This convinced the USSR that they could no longer keep pace with the West.
Thatcher and Ireland
Airey Neave was killed in March 1979.
Thatcher took a tough stance against NI.
In 1980, she undertook a number of meetings with Charles Haughey, the Irish taoisech, with a view to establishing closer political co-operation between Dublin and Westminster.
Death of Bobby Sands
- He went on hunger strike to protest against the refusal to treat him as a political prisoner. Thatcher told the authorities to stand firm. He died after refusing food for 66 days.
He became an iconic figure of the nationalists of NI.
Sinn Fein began to pick up votes in elections.
Brighton Bombing
- IRA bombed the Grand Union hotel in Brighton.
5 people were killed, none of them ministers and 30 injured.
Later that day, Thatcher insisted that the conference must go on and declaring that democracy would never bow to terrorism.
Anglo- Irish agreement
August 1965.
It contained 3 main provisions:
NI was constitutionally part of the UK.
British government gave assurance that it supported full civil rights for all in NI.
2 governments committed themselves to greater co-operation over cross border security matters.
Unionists objected to the involvement of Irish in Northern affairs.
Republicans objected to the involvement of British.
Massacre at Enniskillen 1987
November 1987.
IRA exploded a bomb at a remembrance day parade here.
11 people were killed and 60 injured.
