The British Labour Party and Twentieth-Century Ireland: The Cause of Ireland, the Cause of Labour Hardcover - 2015

From the rear cover

This collection of essays explores a largely neglected aspect of the history of Anglo-Irish relations: British Labour Party policy on Ireland during the twentieth century. Much of the literature on the relationship between 'these islands' concentrates on the present or the recent past; in offering an wider perspective on longer-term dispositions in Labour mentalities towards Ireland this work makes an original and significant contribution to the field of British-Irish studies.

At the beginning of the twentieth century the Labour Party was broadly supportive of Irish self-government, as reflected in its espousal of a home rule settlement. However, from the end of the First World War, Labour anticipated a place in government. Intent on proving its ability to govern it developed a more calculated and measured set of policy responses to Irish nationalism and to the 'Irish question'.

This collection provides the first full treatment of the historical relationship between the Labour Party and Ireland in the last century, from Keir Hardie to Tony Blair. By examining the party's responses to crises and debates around home rule, the 'Tan Wars', partition, Irish neutrality during World War Two, the Irish State's departure from the Commonwealth and the Northern 'Troubles'. With contributions from a range of distinguished Irish and British scholars, it will provide essential reading for those with an interest in modern Irish and British history, Anglo-Irish relations and the current Northern Ireland peace process.