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{File John 18/6}
From: EDWARD OAKDEN Date: 16 June 1996
cc: Mr Holmes Mr Haslam Ms Cleaver
_PRIME MINISTER_
NORTHERN IRELAND: TAOISEACHS' VIEWS
Bruton was interviewed on "On the Record" this morning. You may like a short account. He was tougher on Sinn Fein than I have ever heard him before.
He said that the Manchester bombing had done appalling damage to Sinn Fein's credibility. It was now open to question. Twice in the last week - with the Garda killing and the Manchester bombing - Sinn Fein were betraying the people who had voted for them. The voters had clearly wanted peace. But there was no peace at present. There might be people within Sinn Fein who were seeking peace. But how could a political party be committed to peace and not condemn the murder of a Garda officer and the Manchester bomb, if they seriously claimed to be Irish democrats. There was now a question mark against the viability of Sinn Fein's peace strategy.
The Taoiseach said that the Irish Government were now reviewing very seriously and fundamentally their whole attitude to Sinn Fein and the Republican movement. Irish Governments had always tried to face down the men of violence. It had always been difficult, and there had been discouragements. But the Manchester bomb was not just a discouragement. It was a slap in the face to the people of Ireland.
The Taoiseach said that what was now needed was unconditional and irrevocable IRA ceasefire, before Sinn Fein's entry to the peace process and once that ceasefire had been declared, there must be no looking back.
Bruton said that it was now for Sinn Fein to convince people of their commitment. _They_ must take the responsibility to find the words. The Irish Government wanted visible commitment. It was not for the Irish Government to give them the words. Sinn Fein had agreed through their support for the Mitchell principles to the decommissioning of arms. Sinn Fein had now to show what that meant in practice. In the past, British - and perhaps also Irish - Governments had tried too much to find the words for Sinn Fein. That relieved Sinn Fein of the responsibility. It was up to Sinn Fein now. They had to show by their deeds how they intended to translate their commitment to the Mitchell principles into reality. Governments should insist on this point, rather than becoming too prescriptive.
Spring
Spring had been pretty tough - for him, though not quite as tough as Bruton above - on "Breakfast with Frost" earlier in the day. He said that the Irish Government would be reviewing their attitude to Sinn Fein on Tuesday.
Home Secretary
Michael Howard similarly went "On the Record". He was pretty tough. The general line was that it would not be acceptable for Sinn Fein to enter peace talks tomorrow if the IRA simply declared a ceasefire this evening. What was now needed was a permanent ceasefire.
Line to take with Taoiseach
Building on the line you discussed with the Deputy Prime Minister this morning, we might say:
- We firmly agree with most of what the Taoiseach says.
- It is a fact of practical politics (not a new condition) that if the IRA declared a ceasefire tomorrow\, the political parties would not turn up for talks with Sinn Fein\, without a very careful examination of whether this time the ceasefire was really going to last.
- Many people would think that the political parties would be right to take that view.
- What we want is an unequivocal\, credible ceasefire. And Sinn Fein must show by their deeds that they are genuinely committed to the solely peaceful pursuit of peace. They say they support the Mitchell principles. Let us start seeing that support. Sinn Fein cannot sign up to the Mitchell principles in one breath\, and fail to condemn the Manchester bombing in the next.
Visit to Manchester
The Home Secretary discussed with you yesterday the possibility of visiting Manchester. He will do this _privately_ for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon. There will be no media participation until the end of the visit.
Message for the Manchester Evening Press
We are getting a lot of calls asking if _you_ are going to Manchester. Jonathan thinks that it would be sensible to give the Manchester Press some words to which we can refer them. I attach a possible message which we might give them.
EDWARD OAKDEN
DRAFT MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO MANCHESTER EVENING PRESS
There can be few more cowardly acts than bombing a shopping centre filled with innocent men, women and children going peacefully about their daily lives. You should have been enjoying an English summer's day. You should have been enjoying the Queen's official birthday and looking forward to the prospect of England playing Scotland and all the other excellent football, in Manchester and other cities, that the weekend held in store. But the terrorist bomb shattered all that.
I condemn utterly this callous and barbaric crime, which has shocked all decent people far beyond the shores of Britain. We shall not rest until those responsible have been brought to justice.
Meanwhile, my heart goes out to all those of you caught in the blast. You and your families have my deepest sympathies.
A substantial task now lies ahead. The injured will need time to cope with the shock. The city will need time to come to terms with its grief and outrage. Businesses will have to be rebuilt, and buildings restored.
But I know that the city of Manchester and its people will show the same indomitable spirit as at similarly difficult times in the past. They will have my firm support as they do so. The terrorists must see that their guns and their bombs will not deflect a democratic society either from the belief it holds so dear or from the determined pursuit of a lasting peace in Northern Ireland.
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1996-06-16
Edward Oakden reported to the Prime Minister on media appearances by John Bruton, Dick Spring, and Michael Howard, condemning the Manchester bombing. A draft statement was also suggested for sending to the Manchester Evening Press.
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Unless otherwise specified, this material falls under Crown Copyright and contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The National Archives of the UK (TNA), digitzed by the Quill Project at https://quillproject.net/resource_collections/351/.