Thatcher's Government - Troubles in Northern Ireland Flashcards
Death of Bobby Sands, 1981
DESCRIPTION:
- Death of republican MP Bobby Sands who died from hunger strikes
GOV REACTION:
- Thatcher claimed the hunger strikes were a defeat for the IRA because of their aim of special category status wasn’t granted
- This made Thatcher a hate figure for republicans in N.I. while Bobby Sands and other strikers became republicans heroes
IMPACT ON TROUBLES
- Bobby Sands death became a central motif in republican attitudes in N.I.
- led to a change in republican tactics —> ‘Ballot box and the gun’
Rolling Devolution
DESCRIPTION:
- Thatcher’s gov re-established N.I. Assembly hoping that it would work towards peace
GOV REACTION:
- Demonstrated how Thatcher’s gov worked very hard on trying to establish a peaceful solution to the Troubles within Northern Ireland
IMPACT ON TROUBLES:
- Sinn Fein did very well in 1982 election –> gaining 5 seats
- SDLP were disappointed by contrast only winning 14 seats
- Nationalist parties & UUP boycotted the assembly –> closed in 1986 having failed
Brighton Bombing 1984
DESCRIPTION:
- IRA exploded a massive bomb at Grand Hotel in Brighton where CP gov was staying
- Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped
- 5 people were killed and 30 injured
- Norman Tebbit’s wife was left disabled
GOV REACTION:
- Thatcher used it as propaganda against IRA claiming it was a direct attack against the government
- she showed her strength & courage by coming back the next day & doing her speech
IMPACT ON TROUBLES:
- Thatcher’s popularity soared likening her to Churchill
- Her resistance made the bombing a defeat for the IRA
Anglo-Irish Agreement
MAIN TERMS OF ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT:
> Republic recognised N.I. as being constitutionally part of the UK
> British gov gave an assurance that it supported full civil rights for all AND acknowledged strength of nationalist desires for a united Ireland
> 2 gov committed themselves to close co-operation over cross-border security matters
WHO WAS IT REJECTED BY?
1) UNIONISTS –> objected involvement of Irish gov in Northern affairs, and feared it gave encouragement to a notion of a united Ireland ruled from Dublin –> SO a new paramilitary group, Ulster Resistance, was set up in 1986 as a response
2) REPUBLICANS –> rejected it as its terms confirmed the very thing they were fighting against; N.I. continuation as part of the UK
LONG + SHORT TERM NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE AGREEMENT:
1) SHORT –> failed to bring immediate end to political violence in N.I.
2) LONG –> didn’t reconcile the two communities together so power-sharing was suspended
POSITIVE IMPACT OF ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT ON THE TROUBLES:
- the agreement demonstrated that British recognised the Republics wishes of having direct interest in Northern Ireland affairs
- paved the way to peace protests and brought out the Good Friday Agreement
Remembrance Day Bombing, 1984-1990
DESCRIPTION:
- A bomb exploded at Remembrance Day Service –> 11 people were killed with 60 injured and maimed, including women and children
GOV REACTION:
- It was condemned by the British government
IMPACT ON TROUBLES
- the bombing harmed Sinn Fein’ electoral support due the loss of innocent civilian life
- they lost 4 out of 8 council seats
Death on the Rock, 1984-1990
DESCRIPTION:
1) March 1988 –> in Gibraltar, the SAS shot & killed 3 IRA members
2) at the funeral of the 3, 500 attendees were shot in Belfast –> 3 died, 50 injured
3) 2 off-duty British soldiers were killed when accidentally driving into IRA parade
GOV REACTION:
> Thatcher’s government imposed a broadcasting ban on the IRA in order to limit the ‘oxygen of publicity’ for the IRA –> blanking out voices an substituting their voices with others instead
IMPACT ON TROUBLES:
> Thatcher’s broadcasting ban failed as the government admitted that IRA members could still be seen as their messages could still be heard too.
MAJOR’S GOVERMENT
The Troubles, 1990 - 1997 - CONTINUED VIOLENCE
IRA fired bombs at 10 Downing Street from a parked van
IRA bombing campaign in Britain
> March 1993 - 2 children were killed and 50 injured by bombs left in bins
Bombing in Warrington and Bishopgate London
MAJOR’S GOVERNMENT
The Troubles, 1990 - 1997 - MOVEMENTS TOWARDS PEACE
Protest movements against violence in London, Belfast and Dublin
Gerry Adams and leader of SDLP produced a plan to solve conflict
Despite the party line and a small majority in gov John Major pushed ahead wirh making peace working with Albert Reynolds
