Previously secret documents have revealed a sharp diplomatic clash between the British and Irish prime ministers in 1995, as efforts to secure peace in Northern Ireland reached a critical phase.
A Speech That Caused a 'Storm'
On Armistice Day 1995, Irish Taoiseach John Bruton delivered an address at a dinner in London hosted by the Meath Association. Speaking at the Copthorne Tara Hotel, Bruton stated he and British Prime Minister John Major had "worked closely together in advancing the peace process". He called for "reasonable compromise" to facilitate all-party talks and emphasised the need to respect the dignity of the nationalist community.
His comments took a pointed turn when he addressed unionists, saying they needed to understand that a failure to acknowledge past misuse of police powers during Stormont rule "reduces the effectiveness of the RUC in nationalist areas right up to the present time". He urged unionist representatives to come to terms with negative aspects of their predecessors' dealings with nationalists, particularly on policing.
Major's Stern Reprimand from Abroad
The reaction from Downing Street was swift and critical. John Major, who was at Auckland airport about to board a flight back to London from New Zealand, wrote to Bruton the very next day. "I have to say that I am very surprised at it (the speech), and I regret that you have spoken in this way," the British Prime Minister stated bluntly.
Major argued that unionists were "bound" to interpret the speech as proof the Irish government was "strongly aligned against them" and could no longer act as an honest broker with the UK government. He revealed that Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew had been forced to "set the record straight".
"However, we shall do whatever we can to calm down the storm your speech will inevitably raise," Major added, acknowledging the diplomatic damage while committing to containment.
Pressure Points and a Plea for Calm
In his letter, Major expressed frustration that elements of a previous letter from Bruton had leaked to the Irish press. He also explained his temporary distraction from Northern Irish affairs, noting he had been "up to my eyeballs" dealing with the French nuclear testing crisis in the Pacific and the situation in Nigeria.
With US President Bill Clinton scheduled to visit Ireland at the end of December 1995, Major warned against letting Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams's efforts to "step up pressure" panic them or throw the process off course. He appealed to Bruton's noted even-handedness, stating he had shown more ability than any other Taoiseach to recognise "there are two sides to the Northern Ireland problem".
Major concluded with a request for a phone call and a mutual plea: "I would urge you to do whatever you can to calm the atmosphere. I shall do the same." Two days later, in the Dáil, Bruton publicly indicated that Major still favoured a "joint approach" on the peace process strategy.
A Stark Contrast in Relationships
The revealed correspondence highlights the notably cooler relationship between Major and Bruton, which stood in stark contrast to the warmth Major shared with Bruton's predecessor, Albert Reynolds. In a letter to Reynolds after his resignation in November 1994, Major praised him for creating "an entirely different relationship" from his first day in office.
Major wrote that they had worked together "in a way which no two holders of our offices have done in the 70 years and more since Ireland divided," crediting Reynolds's energy and dedication as vital to the peace process.
The documents, labelled 2025/115/827, are now available for public review in the National Archives of Ireland, shedding new light on the fragile diplomacy of the mid-1990s peace process.
