Gerry Fitt was a key political figure in Northern Ireland for over twenty years, yet there is no major historical evaluation of his contribution, nor of his legacy or place in the memory of the minority community there. Fitt played a central role in creating the identity of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) as a socialist party. Yet, he noted that he was often in an ‘unhappy minority of one’ over many issues and at times the relationship between himself and his party colleagues was ‘very uneasy’. Drawing on unpublished party and private papers, recently released Irish and British government papers, and interviews, this book is the first academic study of the role of Gerry Fitt in the politics of the SDLP and will examine the first decade of the party through the lens of his leadership.

Meticulous and deeply researched, it charts the growth of the party from its founding in 1970 to the late 70s when the future Lord Bell's Hill left the party and the politics of the North. Dr.Campbell is a superb historian of this period and her interviews and source work are impeccable. -- Steve Pound. The Tribune

Sarah Campbell lectures in British and Irish history at Newcastle University

Sarah Campbell lectures in British and Irish history at Newcastle University