Heath & Northern Ireland

Question 1

Internment

Answer 1

• Heath backed Brian Faulkner, leader of the UUP, in introducing night curfews and internment (arresting suspects w/o trial)
• Policy alienated the Catholic community who were usual targets of internment
• 1971-1975: Catholics made up 95% of those interned w/o trial
• IRA Commander claimed internment was, “among the best recruiting tools the IRA ever had”

Question 2

Bloody Sunday Causes (30/01/1972)

Answer 2

• Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association organised a march protesting internment in Londonderry
• 15,000 Catholics protested
• Many were interned
• Intended route of the march was blocked off by British troops
• Protesters began throwing projectiles at the troops
• Soldiers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd
• Paratroopers moved to make arrest, started firing live ammo
• Army claimed they were being fired at, many believe this was false

Question 3

Bloody Sunday Consequences (30/01/1972)

Answer 3

• 21 soldiers fired 108 rounds
• 13 killed, 15 wounded
• Catholics burned down the British Embassy in anger
• 1972: 480 people were killed
• Heath suspended Northern Ireland’s parliament, brought in Direct Rule
• Direct Rule: N.I would be ruled from London rather than their own gov
• Widgery Report (1972): found that the British army acted in self-defence
• Saville Enquiry: set up in 1998, reported in 2010 that the deaths were ‘unjustified’/’unjustifiable’
• 2010: PM David Cameron issued a formal apology

Question 4

The Sunningdale Agreement (1973)

Answer 4

• Negotiated between Heath and Whitelaw (N.I’s Secretary of State)
• Named after the hotel in Berkshire where negotiations took place
• Proposed a power-sharing government of Nationalists and Unionists, equal share of power
• New Northern Ireland Assembly elected by proportional representation
• Council of Ireland that would have some input from the Republic

Question 5

The Ulster Workers Council Strike (1974)

Answer 5

• Ulster Workers Council (UWC) was a loyalist organisation
• Made up of loyalist workers opposing any form of power sharing in N.I or any cross-border cooperation
• Organisation was supported by politicians such as Ian Paisley and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
• Inspired by miners in Britain, UWC used roadblocks and flying pickets to prevent deliveries, close N.I businesses, create petrol shortages and power cuts
• Paramilitary organisations ensured that the strike was supported by Unionists

Question 6

Collapse of the Sunningdale Agreement (1974)

Answer 6

• Strike ended on 28th May 1974 after Brian Faulkner and his pro-assembly unionist supporters resigned
• Caused the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive
• Resignation was a result of the British gov’s refusal to negotiate with the UWC
• 29th May 1974, UWC officially called the strike off, people across Northern Ireland returned back to work
• Responsibility of running Northern Ireland went back to British Parliament
• Direct Rule would remain in effect until the ‘Good Friday Agreement’ in 1998