Under Siege: Ulster Unionism and the Anglo-Irish Agreement

Since the signing of a far-reaching Agreement between the British and Irish governments in November 1985, Ulster Unionism has been engaged in an unprecedented internal debate over its strategies in the face of constitutional indeternminacy. This book assesses the various Unionist responses to the Agreement, such as the "Ulster says No" campaign, the roles of the Official and Democratic Unionist parties, the UDA's proposals, the use of violence and then sets them within the Ulster Unionist tradition. The author has had access to the internal documents of the Unionist parties, and interviewed many leading Ulster politicians. He reviews the prospects for the competing alternatives within Unionist politics, given that the Agreement seems destined to remain in force.