Northern Ireland and the British-Irish relationship: The Gladstonian Settlement revisited by Professor Vernon Bogdanor FBA CBE


Why has it proved so difficult to resolve the problems of Northern Ireland? Will the current arrangements, an outcome of the Belfast or Good Friday agreement of 1998, provide a solution? This agreement seeks to revive old ideas first put forward by W.E.Gladstone, the 19th century Liberal Prime Minister. But, has the time for such ideas passed?