Editing Edward Heath (section)

===Northern Ireland===

Heath served as Prime Minister during an especially violent period of [[the Troubles]] in [[Northern Ireland]]. Events such as the [[Falls Curfew]], [[Operation Motorman]] and [[Bloody Sunday (1972)|Bloody Sunday]] led to the near-collapse in relations between the Irish Catholic community and British [[security forces]]. In 1971, Heath sent [[MI6]] officer Frank Steele to hold talks with the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] (IRA) and find common ground to begin official negotiations.<ref>Smith, Michael, ''The Spying Game, the Secret History of British Espionage'', Politicos, London, pp. 378–82<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref> In July 1972, Heath permitted the [[Secretary of State for Northern Ireland]], William Whitelaw, to hold unofficial talks in London with an IRA delegation by [[Seán Mac Stíofáin]]. In the aftermath of these unsuccessful talks, Heath pushed for a peaceful settlement with Northern Irish political parties exclusively committed to [[nonviolence]].<ref>Ziegler, ''Edward Heath'' (2010), ch. 15.</ref>

The 1973 [[Sunningdale Agreement]], which proposed a power-sharing deal, was strongly repudiated by many Unionists, including the [[Ulster Unionist Party]], which withdrew its MPs at Westminster from the Conservative whip. The proposal was finally brought down by the Unionist [[Ulster Workers' Council strike]] in 1974, by which time Heath was no longer in office.<ref>Paul Dixon, "British policy towards Northern Ireland 1969–2000: continuity, tactical adjustment and consistent 'inconsistencies'." ''British Journal of Politics and International Relations'' 3#3 (2001): 340–368.</ref>

Heath was targeted by the IRA for introducing [[internment]] without trial in Northern Ireland. In December 1974, an IRA [[active service unit]] threw a bomb onto the first-floor balcony of his home in Wilton Street, [[Belgravia]] where it exploded. Heath had been conducting a Christmas carol concert at Broadstairs and arrived home 10 minutes after the bomb exploded. No one was injured in the attack, but a landscape painted by Winston Churchill – given to Heath as a present – was damaged.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/t-z/year02.html|title=History&nbsp;– The Year London Blew Up|publisher=Channel 4|access-date=20 April 2010}}</ref> In January 2003, Heath gave evidence to the [[Saville Inquiry]] and stated that he had never sanctioned unlawful lethal force in Northern Ireland.<ref>Douglas Murray, ''Bloody Sunday: Truth, Lies and the Saville Inquiry'' (Biteback Publishing, 2011), ch. 11.</ref>