Heath And The Troubles

Question 1

What UUP policy measures did Heath support and their affect?

Answer 1

• The introduction of night time curfews and internment in 1971.
• These were ineffective security measures that alienated Catholics further - 95% of those intended were Catholic.
• Internment, in a way, allowed mass ranks of IRA sympathisers to recruit and galvanise the cause.

Question 2

What was Bloody Sunday?

Answer 2

30 January 1972, The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association organised a March against internment.
- Attempts to control the March by British paramilitaries resulted in them shooting 26 unarmed civilians, killing 13.

Question 3

What was the impact of Bloody Sunday?

Answer 3

• The British embassy in Dublin was burned down. Support for the IRA grew and 1972 became the bloodiest year of the Troubles.
• Heath suspended the Stormont Parliament and brought in direct rule from Westminster.

Question 4

What was the Sunningdale Agreement?

Answer 4

• Plan for a power-sharing gov. In NI, there would be:
• A power sharing Executive of both nationalists and unionists - both guaranteed representation.
• A new NI Assembly elected under proportional rep
• a Council of Ireland that would have some input from the RoI.

Question 5

What happened after Sunningdale?

Answer 5

• Denounced by extremists on both sides. The UUP voted to pull out and Brian Faulkner, the head of the Executive, was replaced by the anti-Sunningdale Harry West.
• 11/12 NI constituencies returned anti-Sunningdale candidates.
• The NI Assembly collapsed and paramilitaries from both sides ran rampant.

Question 6

Effect of Sunningdale on the Conservatives?

Answer 6

• They couldn’t now rely on support from the UUP which greatly diminished their chances of continuing government.