In late November 1993, the Observer published a front-page story that astounded many of its readers and triggered political tremors across the UK, Ireland and beyond. Under the headline “Major’s secret links with IRA leadership revealed”, the newspaper reported that the British government had been engaged in secret back-channel communications with senior republicans, with prime minister John Major’s approval.
IRA bullets and bombs had killed 33 people that year alone. Four of the victims were children aged between three and 13. Weeks earlier, Major had told MPs that it “would turn my stomach” to sit down and talk to the organisation.
