Conservative Party

Compiled: Martin Melaugh ... Additional Material: Brendan Lynn and Fionnuala McKenna Material is added to this site on a regular basis - information on this page may change Campaign for Democracy in Ulster (CDU) The Campaign for Democracy in Ulster (CDU) was established in early 1965 by a group of British Labour Party MPs. The chairperson and prime mover of the group was Paul Rose. The CDU investigated allegations of religious discrimination in Northern Ireland. The CDU was especially active in pressing for reforms during the late 1960s. However, the group only achieved limited sucess and was not able to influence the Labour government under Harold Wilson before the outbreak of violence on 5 October 1968. Campaign for Devolved Parliament (CDP) A campaign launched in March 1988 to try to replace the Anglo-Irish Agreement (AIA) by a devolved parliament in Northern Ireland. Under the plan the parliament would exercise executive power including responsibility for policing. There would also be a Bill of Rights and a cross-border dimension. Campaign for Equal Citizenship (CEC) A campaign established during a meeting in Belfast on 14 May 1986. The CEC argued that British political parties, such as the Labour and Conservative, should organise and stand for election in Northern Ireland. The CEC had similar aims to that of the Campaign for Labour Representation in Northern Ireland (CLRNI). The CEC was also in favour of the full administrative integration of Northern Ireland into the United Kingdom. The CEC was initially lead by Robert McCartney. Much of the support for the group came from the Unionist community, although it claimed cross-community support. Although both the Labour and Conservative parties said in 1988 that they would not organise in Northern Ireland, the Conservative Party was forced, by a vote at their annual conference in 1989, to begin campaigning in the region. Campaign for Labour Representation in Northern Ireland (CLRNI) A campaign set up in 1977 to try to persuade the British Labour Party to organise and stand for election in Northern Ireland. Currently it is not possible for anyone living in Northern Ireland to become a member of the Labour Party. The CLRNI was to act as a model for groups with similar objectives such as the Campaign for Equal Citizenship (CEC). The CLRNI endorsed 13 candidates in the District Council elections in May 1993 but only one, Mark Langhammer, was elected. The group decided to dissolve on 23 September 1993 having failed in its central aim. Campaign for Social Justice in Northern Ireland (CSJ) A group which began campaigning for 'civil rights' in Northern Ireland in 1964. The Campaign for Social Justice in Northern Ireland (CSJ) began in Dungannon, County Tyrone, with a committee made up mainly from the Catholic middle-class. The committee of the Campaign for Social Justice was listed in February 1965 as: Mrs Patricia McCluskey, Mrs Maura Mullally, Mrs Olive Scott, Maurice Byrne BDS, JJ Donnelly, Peter Gormley MB FRCS, Conor Gilligan FRCS, Brian Gregory BA FRIBA, Conn McCluskey MB, Thomas McLaughlin, Sean McGivern, Hugh P McConville PT. The original address for the CSJ was given as, Castlefields, Dungannon, County Tyrone. Its main approach in the mid 1960s was to try to publicise what it saw as injustices in the region through a series of booklets, pamphlets, letters, meetings, etc. Much of this material related to perceived discrimination in employment, housing, electoral practices, and public appointments. One of the first publications was a pamphlet entitled 'Northern Ireland The Plain Truth' which was published on 5 February 1964. Catholic Ex-Servicemen's Association (CEA) An organisation set up in 1971 following the introduction of Internment with the stated aim of 'protecting' Catholic areas. It founding member was Phil Curran who, in common with other members, had previous military training. The CEA was paramilitary in nature but unarmed, and at its most active in 1972 it w