the troubles under wilson and callaghan

Question 1

when did the ulster workers’ council begin their strike?

Answer 1

-15 may 1974
-determined to bring down the sunningdale agreement

Question 2

what was the impact of the strike?

Answer 2

-severely limited power + comms and british gov. declared a state of emergency
-faulkner then resigned as chief executive of the power sharing gov. which meant the sunningdale agreement failed

Question 3

describe wilson’s speech in may 1974 in response to ulster workers’ council strike:

Answer 3

-he called the strike a deliberate attempt to use undemocratic means to bring down the whole constitution of northern ireland
-said ulster unionists sponge off of westminster and british democracy
-wilson seen as hypocritical for expecting republic of ireland to deal with the IRA when he couldn’t even shut down a loyalist strike

Question 4

what was the northern ireland act 1974?

Answer 4

-another attempt at power sharing after sunningdale failed
-ulster unionists condemned this to failure when they declared republicans didn’t have the right to take part in any future government of northern ireland
-july 1975 elections resulted in a majority for unionists
-a motion was passed that resulted in the act being dissolved in 1976

Question 5

what did they remove for political prisoners in 1976 and what was the reaction?

Answer 5

-special category status removed - treated like normal prisoners
-disliked by paramilitaries
-led to blanket protests - refusing to wear prison uniform
-then dirty protests 1978 - by 1979 250 prisoners were taking part in these dirty protests