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With negotiations souring an already uneasy relationship to England, the Irish novelist surveys the mood of his nation, and considers the prospect of unification
news Tony Blair did not approve Irish Famine statement © Getty Images Tony Blair's admission of the British government's culpability over the Irish Famine was neither written by the former PM or approved by him before it was sent, National Archive files show. They show Mr Blair's private secretary Sir John Holmes wrote the message and could not reach him for final approval. The 1997 statement was welcomed as an overdue recognition of British failure. More than 1m people died in what is known as the Great Famine of 1845-52, when Ireland was part of the UK. A million more people emigrated dur...
BBC News By Sanchia Berg image copyrightAlain BUU Tony Blair's admission of the British government's culpability over the Irish Famine was neither written nor approved by the former PM before it was sent, National Archive papers show. Mr Blair's private secretary Sir John Holmes wrote it but could not reach him for final approval, according to files. The 1997 statement was welcomed as an overdue recognition of British failure. More than a million people died between 1845-52 in the famine, when the entire island of Ireland was part of the UK. And about two million more people emigrated over a ...
Civil servants opposed Mowlam wish to write Famine article, files show Northern Ireland secretary could detract from Blair statement of regret, officials feared Thu, Dec 31, 2020, 00:03 Mark Devenport Northern Ireland secretary Mo Mowlam wanted to write an article criticising the wrongs of all parties during the Famine. Photograph: Reuters/Corbis Northern Ireland Office (NIO) civil servants believed a magazine article by their new secretary Mo Mowlam on the 150th annive...
Leaked phone calls held up talks between John Major and John Bruton Peace talks: PM told that taoiseach was using conversations for his own political ends Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 00:02 Brian Hutton Taoiseach John Bruton and British prime minister John Major at Downing Street on November 28th, 1995. Photograph: Sean Dempsey/Pool/Reuters Former British prime minister John Major was “reluctant” to talk to then taoiseach John Bruton on the phone because their private conversa...