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Northern Ireland

Chapters

  1. Salaries and Taxation
  2. Pensions
  3. Benefits
  4. Health and Care
  5. Education
  6. Housing
  7. Employment
  8. Trades Unions and Labour Laws
  9. Trade and Industry
  10. Transport
  11. Energy
  12. Environment
  13. Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Rural Life
  14. Crime
  15. Legal System
  16. Immigration and Asylum
  17. Local Government
  18. Devolution and Regional Government
  19. Parliament and Democracy
  20. Media
  21. Freedom of Information and Privacy
  22. Northern Ireland
  23. European Union
  24. Foreign Policy
  25. Defence and Disarmament
  26. Conclusions
Preamble

Chapters

  1. Salaries and Taxation
  2. Pensions
  3. Benefits
  4. Health and Care
  5. Education
  6. Housing
  7. Employment
  8. Trades Unions and Labour Laws
  9. Trade and Industry
  10. Transport
  11. Energy
  12. Environment
  13. Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Rural Life
  14. Crime
  15. Legal System
  16. Immigration and Asylum
  17. Local Government
  18. Devolution and Regional Government
  19. Parliament and Democracy
  20. Media
  21. Freedom of Information and Privacy
  22. Northern Ireland
  23. European Union
  24. Foreign Policy
  25. Defence and Disarmament
  26. Conclusions
The Tories have traditionally supported the union with Britain, and so were seen as more supportive of the Unionist community, although it is now known that they had secret contacts with the IRA. Final decisions over parades by either community were taken by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) which was overwhelmingly from the Unionist community. The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), with provisions contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, was specifically created to deal with IRA attacks, but had to be renewed each year.
Labour policy was:
1For the unification of Ireland achieved by peaceful and consensual means 
2To reorganise the RUC into a force fairly representing both communities (?) 
3To ban parades which harm relations between the communities (?) 
4To repeal the PTA 
In fact under New Labour:
1Tony Blair said "I believe in the United Kingdom" and that a united Ireland is not in prospect for anyone alive todayLeft as under the Conservatives
2A representative police force has been agreed, though concessions were made to Unionist feelingPledge carried out
3Decisions on parades were transferred to an independent commission which must consider inter-community relationsPledge partially carried out
4The PTA has instead been made permanent and extended to cover even property crimePolicy shift to right of old Conservatives
In addition:
Bullet pointA Northern Ireland Assembly was established, which might not have been possible if the government had been more identified with nationalist aspirations 
Bullet pointThe same standards are not expected of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) as of the IRA, e.g. over weapons decommissioning 
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