Why did the Sunningdale Agreement Fail?
Why did the Sunningdale Agreement fail to achieve power-sharing?
The inability of the Northern Ireland government under Brian Faulkner to stop paramilitary violence and the reaction of the Catholic population to internment led the British government to suspend the Northern Ireland government and impose direct rule from Westminister in March 1972. William Whitelaw was appointed the first Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Whitelaw ordered the the dismantling of barracades in 'no-go' areas around the North. This led to increased support for and paramilitary activity by the IRA.
In an effort to undermine the paramilitaries on both sides Whitelaw published a White Paper for negotiations that would lead to a power-sharing arrangement between Nationalist and Unionist politicians. Almost immediately divisions arose in the Unionist Party over the measures proposed in the White Paper. Those like Brian Faulkner who supported the proposals became known as 'pledged' Unionists, those in oppostion were known as 'unpledged' Unionists and supported Harry West. Even before the Sunningdale Agreement was negotiated the divisions that would lead to its downfall were begining to emerge.
Within the Catholic community, Nationalists around the SDLP supported the measures while Republicans opposed the White Paper on the basis that it reinforced partition. The SDLP actively engaged in the negotiations and called off the rent and rate strike that was taking place to protest against internment. A majority of Catholics supported the efforts towards power-sharing as it would be seen as a significant improvement on the existing arrangements.
The election to the new assembly resulted in almost two-thirds of the electorate supporting candidates in favour of a power-sharing arrangement. However a majority of the Unionists elected, based around the 'unpledged' Unionists, Ian Paisley's DUP and William Craig's Vanguard Party, were opposed to the proposals. This placed Faulkner in a very difficult position in trying to unite unionism in support of the agreement and further undermined the possibility of the power-sharing arrangement succeeding.
Among the proposals put forward during the negotiations was the establishment of a Council of Ireland that would involve Southern politicians and would have control over a number of areas including policing. Despite outright opposition by the more extreme Unionists the Sunningdale Agreement was signed in December 1973 and the power-sharing arrangement was due to be established on 1 January 1974. The Council of Ireland was to be a major focus of opposition by Unionists opposed to the agreement. They regarded it as a step towards a united Ireland.
The Orange Order, the DUP, the Vanguard Party and the 'unpledged' Unionists come together and form the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) to resist power-sharing and the Council of Ireland. After the General Council of the Unionist Party rejected the Council of Ireland Faulkner resigned from the party and established the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland. His position within Unionism is now completely undermined and the UUUC launch a campaign to bring an end to the power-sharing arrangement.
The power-sharing Executive received a further blow at the begining of February when Edward Heath called a British General Election. The UUUC took the opportunity to use the election as a referendum on the Sunningdale Agreement. The anti-agreement Unionists selected a single candidate to run in each constituency. The general election resulted in the UUUC winning eleven of the twelve Westminster seats in the North. Ian Paisley, William Craig and Harry West were all elected. The only pro-agreement candidate elected was Gerry Fitt of the SDLP in West Belfast. The election result put further pressure on the power-sharing executive and particularly on Brian Faulkner and the Unionists who supported him.
Following the general election the Labour Party under Harold Wilson replaced the Conservatives in government. The Labour Party appeared less committed to the Sunningdale Agreement than the Conservatives. They reaslised the difficulties that the power-sharing executive was in and didn't want to be associated with its failure. The new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees, was to prove indecisive when confronted with the opposition of Unionists.
On 15 May the Ulster Workers Council called a general strike in an effort to bring down the power-sharing executive and the council of Ireland . Loyalist paramilitaries forced many workers to stay at home. Road blocks were established by Loyalist paramilitaries in many parts of the North. Merlyn Rees proved indicisive in dealing with the strikers. When electricity supplies were interupted Faulkner decided that it was no longer possible to maintain the power-sharing executive. Along with his fellow Unionist ministers he resigned from the executive. The power-sharing executive collapsed and direct rule from Westminster was re-imposed.
The Sunningdale Agreement failed to achieve power-sharing as a result of opposition from Unionist politicians and the Protestant population. The continuing paramilitary campaign of the IRA and Loyalist paramilitaries compounded the problem. The power-sharing executive was finally brought to its knees by the strike organised by the Ulster Workers council and imposed by Loyalist paramilitaries. Sean Farren, a leading member of the SDLP, has described the Sunningdale Agreement as 'an agreement too
The inability of the Northern Ireland government under Brian Faulkner to stop paramilitary violence and the reaction of the Catholic population to internment led the British government to suspend the Northern Ireland government and impose direct rule from Westminister in March 1972. William Whitelaw was appointed the first Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Whitelaw ordered the the dismantling of barracades in 'no-go' areas around the North. This led to increased support for and paramilitary activity by the IRA.
In an effort to undermine the paramilitaries on both sides Whitelaw published a White Paper for negotiations that would lead to a power-sharing arrangement between Nationalist and Unionist politicians. Almost immediately divisions arose in the Unionist Party over the measures proposed in the White Paper. Those like Brian Faulkner who supported the proposals became known as 'pledged' Unionists, those in oppostion were known as 'unpledged' Unionists and supported Harry West. Even before the Sunningdale Agreement was negotiated the divisions that would lead to its downfall were begining to emerge.
Within the Catholic community, Nationalists around the SDLP supported the measures while Republicans opposed the White Paper on the basis that it reinforced partition. The SDLP actively engaged in the negotiations and called off the rent and rate strike that was taking place to protest against internment. A majority of Catholics supported the efforts towards power-sharing as it would be seen as a significant improvement on the existing arrangements.
The election to the new assembly resulted in almost two-thirds of the electorate supporting candidates in favour of a power-sharing arrangement. However a majority of the Unionists elected, based around the 'unpledged' Unionists, Ian Paisley's DUP and William Craig's Vanguard Party, were opposed to the proposals. This placed Faulkner in a very difficult position in trying to unite unionism in support of the agreement and further undermined the possibility of the power-sharing arrangement succeeding.
Among the proposals put forward during the negotiations was the establishment of a Council of Ireland that would involve Southern politicians and would have control over a number of areas including policing. Despite outright opposition by the more extreme Unionists the Sunningdale Agreement was signed in December 1973 and the power-sharing arrangement was due to be established on 1 January 1974. The Council of Ireland was to be a major focus of opposition by Unionists opposed to the agreement. They regarded it as a step towards a united Ireland.
The Orange Order, the DUP, the Vanguard Party and the 'unpledged' Unionists come together and form the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) to resist power-sharing and the Council of Ireland. After the General Council of the Unionist Party rejected the Council of Ireland Faulkner resigned from the party and established the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland. His position within Unionism is now completely undermined and the UUUC launch a campaign to bring an end to the power-sharing arrangement.
The power-sharing Executive received a further blow at the begining of February when Edward Heath called a British General Election. The UUUC took the opportunity to use the election as a referendum on the Sunningdale Agreement. The anti-agreement Unionists selected a single candidate to run in each constituency. The general election resulted in the UUUC winning eleven of the twelve Westminster seats in the North. Ian Paisley, William Craig and Harry West were all elected. The only pro-agreement candidate elected was Gerry Fitt of the SDLP in West Belfast. The election result put further pressure on the power-sharing executive and particularly on Brian Faulkner and the Unionists who supported him.
Following the general election the Labour Party under Harold Wilson replaced the Conservatives in government. The Labour Party appeared less committed to the Sunningdale Agreement than the Conservatives. They reaslised the difficulties that the power-sharing executive was in and didn't want to be associated with its failure. The new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees, was to prove indecisive when confronted with the opposition of Unionists.
On 15 May the Ulster Workers Council called a general strike in an effort to bring down the power-sharing executive and the council of Ireland . Loyalist paramilitaries forced many workers to stay at home. Road blocks were established by Loyalist paramilitaries in many parts of the North. Merlyn Rees proved indicisive in dealing with the strikers. When electricity supplies were interupted Faulkner decided that it was no longer possible to maintain the power-sharing executive. Along with his fellow Unionist ministers he resigned from the executive. The power-sharing executive collapsed and direct rule from Westminster was re-imposed.
The Sunningdale Agreement failed to achieve power-sharing as a result of opposition from Unionist politicians and the Protestant population. The continuing paramilitary campaign of the IRA and Loyalist paramilitaries compounded the problem. The power-sharing executive was finally brought to its knees by the strike organised by the Ulster Workers council and imposed by Loyalist paramilitaries. Sean Farren, a leading member of the SDLP, has described the Sunningdale Agreement as 'an agreement too