Towards a New Consensus: Northern Ireland

Question 1

What examples are there of IRA violence?

Answer 1

• mortar bombs at 10 downing street
• March 1993 boy of 3 and 12 killed + 50 injured in Warrington shopping mall
• April 1 killed and 40 injured by bomb in lorry in Bishopgate in city of London + £1bn damage
• Guildford 4 and Birmingham 6 jalied in 1975 overturned in 1989 and 1991 (5 and 21 had died in pub bombings)

Question 2

What were Major’s achievements?

Answer 2

• 1993 Sein Fein secret messages of seeking peaceful agreement led to August 1994 ceasefire
• 1993 downing street declaration stated British had no selfish motives in NI + Irish republic accepted right of majority
• Major practical attitude aligned with Albert Reynolds which helped lead to negotiation
• Major assurance of not committed to united Ireland quelled unionist fear and led to loyalist ceasefire Oct
• Major encouraged US interference
• 1997 tenuous peace shows diplomacy

Question 3

What were the limitations for Major?

Answer 3

• large peace rallies in London, Belfast and Dublin
• IRA blamed police who hadn’t acted on info of bomb locations
• 1995 President Clinton welcomed in Belfast and Dublin
• 1996 senator George Mitchell chaired international commission to consider Irish issue
• Mitchell 1996 report established principles of peace eg total disarmament of parliamentary organisations and accept agreements as binding in all party negotiations