Edward Heath and the Early Years of Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968-1975: 'The Broken Emerald'

The first comprehensive analysis of Edward Heath’s public and private attitude to Northern Ireland during his time as Conservative Party leader and U.K. prime minister. Stephen Kelly presents a biographical examination of Edward Heath’s publicand private attitude to Northern Ireland during his time as official leader ofthe Opposition (1965-1970 & 1974-1975) and UK prime minister (1970-1974). Withaccess to newly released archival files, this book radically challenges the currenthistoriography of Heath’s Northern Ireland policy.Readers are provided with a fascinating insight into some of the morecontroversial aspects of the UK government’s Northern Ireland policy during theearly years of the ‘Troubles’, including Heath’s attitude to the use of the so-called‘five techniques’ of torture against alleged Irish Republican paramilitaries; hispivotal role during the events leading to and after ‘Bloody Sunday’, on 30 January1972; and lastly, his private support, in principle, for a united Ireland.By examining the various topics under consideration, the book provides the readerwith nuanced insight into how Heath formulated and implemented his NorthernIreland policies, primarily in the political, military, and security realms.Northern Ireland was not simply a political preoccupation for Edward Heath. Overtime, the subject became quite personal, not least given that Heath survived, notone - but two assassination attempts on his life - mounted by Irish Republicanterrorists in 1974 and 1975. For the remainder of his life, Heath remained fearfulthat a third attempt on his life by Irish Republican paramilitaries would prove to bedeadly.