Reactions of the Local Parties

1. Reactions of the Local Parties • Learning Objective: To gather an understanding of the new political parties established and what their aims were. • Several new parties emerged in the early 1970s. This was largely down to the political unrest that existed in Northern Ireland and both communities were demanding different political solutions to those that were on offer.

2. Unionist Divisions • The OUP had been divided in some shape or form for most of the 1960s. Divisions came to a head in March 1970 with the expulsion of several MPs for failing to support the Government’s security policy. • The five Unionist MPs were- Boal, McQuade, Craig, West and Laird • Meanwhile the depth of public dissatisfaction with the policies being pursued by the OUP became evident when Ian Paisley was elected as a Protestant Unionist to Stormont for the Bannside seat previously held by Terence O’Neill (who had been promoted to the House of Lords). Paisley followed up this success with his election to Westminster as MP for North Antrim in June 1970 “The Unionist party led by Chichester-Clark has been deceiving and betraying us,"

3. The Establishment of the DUP • In September 1971 Paisley’s party was renamed the Democratic Unionist Party. Its aim was to defend the constitution of Northern Ireland, while pursuing more progressive social policies.

4. A ‘Third Way’ • The Alliance Party was launched in April 1970. This was led by Oliver Napier. Although broadly unionist in its ideas, the new party opened its doors to supporters from all dominations. It was hoping to achieve the parts of O’Neill’s promises of reform not yet introduced.

5. The Split in Nationalist Politics • Perhaps even more significant were the changes within Nationalist politics. The old Nationalist Party had more or less faded away, and in August 1970 the Social Democratic and Labour Party was established. Led by West Belfast MP Gerry Fitt.

6. What the SDLP hoped to achieve: • The SDLP was moderately left-wing on social and economic issues. At the same time the party sought the eventual reunification of Ireland. The SDLP immediately became the main opposition party in Stormont, although it withdrew in July 1971 after the government refused to launch an inquiry into two suspicious deaths in Derry involving the army. • Click on the following link to find out what actually happened: • CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1971 • This simply heightened tension within the Nationalist community and many nationalists felt alienated by the police and the army. Worse was to follow for the people of Derry in 1972. • To deal with the continuing trouble and rioting that was occuring throughout Northern Ireland Prime Minister Faulkner introduced internment, through Operation Demetrius. • We will be learning more about internment and the reactions to it in the next lesson

7. HAVE WE MET OUR LEARNING TARGETS? • Learning Objective: To gather an understanding of the new political parties established and what their aims were. • To reiterate the fact that we know who the new political parties were and what their aims were I want you to answer questions • 1-6 on page 127.