Search for a Political Solution: an
attempt at power-sharing 1973-74
Why did the future of power-sharing look bleak in January 1974?
on 4th of January, ruling committee of the Ulster Unionist
Party voted to reject the Sunningdale Agreement because
of the 'Irish Dimension' in the agreement. Bran Faulkner
resigned as leader of the party in response and was
replaced by Harry West. 19 or the 21 Ulster Unionist
Assembly members still supported Faulkner meaning he
was able to continue being the Chief Executive of the
power-sharing assembly. However, it was clear that
Faulkner was isolated within Unionism.
At the end of February 1974 a General Election for the Westminster
Parliament was held. Al but one of the seats in N.I was won by
UUUC MP's who opposed power sharing, the Sunniingdale
Agreement and Faulkner. Pro-Sunningdale Unionists won 95,000
votes compared to 36,000 for their UUUC opponents. The UUUC
portrayed the General Election as a referendum on the
Sunningdale Agreement. Results showed that most people in N.I
opposed the agreement. they also showed that the assembly was
no longer a true reflection of the public opinion in N.I.
What impact did the General Election of February 1974 have on power-sharing?
A change of government in London with conservatives under
Edward Heath losing the election to the Labour Party and
being replaced as Prime Minister by Harold Wilson.
Merlyn Rees became the new
secretary of state for N.I.
Labour only had a small majority in
Westminster so Rees was forced to
spend a lot of his time in London and he
didn't spend enough time trying to keep
power-sharing up and running N.I.
Violence continued and the 1000th victim of the
troubles was killed in April 1974 (James Murphy -
a petrol station owner from Fermanagh0
Regular Unionist protests continued against the
Sunningdale Agreement - despite these, the British
government insisted that there was no alternative to the
agreement
What was the background and aim of he Ulster Worker's Strike?
On the 14th of May 1974, a debate was held in the Northern Ireland
Assembly on a motion condemning power-sharing and the Council
of Ireland. The motion was defeated by 44 votes to 28. After the
vote, Harland and Wolff shop steward the Ulster workers council
(UWC) organiser Harry Murray told journalists that a general strike
would begin the following day in response.
The date of the strike had been agreed by the UWC in advance
because they wanted it to coincide with the vote which they
had expected to end in defeat for the hard-line unionist motion.
The Unionist Workers' Council was a group of protestant
trade unionists who gained a lot of paramilitary and political
support and their aim was to show 'grassroots' unionist
opposition to the Sunningdale Agreement.
What methods did the UWC use during the strike?
Some trade unionists attempted to organise back to
work demonstrations but they got little support.
Factories were closed down and the port of Larne was sealed
off by thee UVF and UDA, there were electricity blackouts,
fuel supplies had to be controlled and there were hundreds
of roadblocks set up which meant traveli was difficult