The Rottweiler Strikes

POD:

Margaret Thatcher retires as Prime Minister in June 1989 after getting Norman Tebbit to agree to stand for the leadership. The election becomes a coronation after no-one stands against him.

His first cabinet contains John Major as Foreign Secretary and Alan Clark as Northern Ireland Secretary.

In January 1990 the Garda responds to reports of shots at an isolated farmhouse on the Irish side of the border. They find 18 men dead who are later identified as the IRA Army Council.

While there is no proof that the UK government played any role in the attack it is widely believed that Tebbit and Clark ordered the assault.

The Sun's headline the next day reads "Gotcha 2"

Tebbit tells the Commons:

"This incident is unexpected but welcome. We hope that this leads to a fresh start for the future of Northern Ireland. I know that honourable members on all sides are concerned about potential repercussions and I ask them to support us"
 
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