Declassified files: Top civil servant suggested '˜no action' against loyalist violence

Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, who went on to become the Province’s victims commissioner, told Irish officials during a confidential meeting in April 1986 that a “completely logical line of action” amid increasing unrest would be no action at all.

There was a ferocious unionist backlash at the time to the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

“The situation in the North is becoming more serious by the week,” he said, according to notes of his meeting with senior Anglo-Irish negotiators at Government Buildings in Dublin.

“The petrol bombing and attacks on police houses are particularly worrying.”

Sir Kenneth said senior politicians were “becoming more concerned daily”.

He suggested: “One alternative would be to look to a long campaign of violence and attrition – doing nothing and bringing home to the unionists that this sort of action just does not pay.

“There may be arguments for this, which could be a completely logical line of action.”

But he added: “On the other hand, there are arguments now for discussions, which could bring constitutional politics back into the picture again.”

He went on to say: “There is much to be said for encouraging dialogues within Northern Ireland among the political parties.”

Sir Kenneth was head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service at the time.