THE BROOKEBOROUGH YEARS

The Northern Ireland Prime Minister between 1943-63 was Basil Brooke (later called Viscount Brookeborough)

He was a member of the Orange Order.He believed that Northern Ireland would only

be secure if all power were kept in Protestant hands. He was certain that Catholics should be denied power, influence and opportunity to protect the position of Protestants and the state of Northern Ireland.

BROOKE

For example in 1933 he had told an audience of Orangemen that they should only employ Protestants and had boasted “I have not one about my place.”

In 1949 the Irish government passed the REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ACT which made the south a republic and broke all links with Britain and the Commonwealth.

REPUBLIC AND IRELAND ACT

Britain then passed the IRELAND ACT. This guaranteed that Northern Ireland would stay part of the UK for as long as the Stormont government voted for this.

During the war Southern Ireland had been neutral while Northern Ireland had helped Britain. Now that Southern Ireland had broken all ties many British politicians believed it was more important than ever that Northern Ireland remain part of the UK.

OPERATION HARVEST

In 1956 the IRA started attacking RUC stations near the border.

The Brookeborough government responded by calling out the B-Specials and introducing internment. De Valera also introduced internment in the South. The IRA campaign continued but had little support and achieved little.

OPERATION HARVEST

The tough measures and lack of support meant the campaign was called off in 1962.

12 IRA men and 6 RUC members were killed.32 members of the security forces were

injured.200 members of the IRA were arrested.

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS: RESIGNS

Old industries that had employed lots of people started to decline and lose business. (Ship-building and linen making) Many people had been losing their jobs for a decade and unemployment was high.

In the 1962 election Brookeborough’s party – the Unionist party – lost seats to the Labour party. He resigned the next year and Captain Terence O’Neill took over.