Reflecting on the Brighton Bombing: A Look Back 40 Years Later

Senior members of Margaret Thatcher‘s government are reflecting on the harrowing events that transpired minutes before the bombing at the 1984 Conservative Party Conference. The insights are part of a forthcoming documentary set to air on BBC Two and iPlayer on 8th October. “All I had to know was that it had gone off … and then I slept,” recounts one of the individuals who was present during the time of the explosion.

The documentary coincides with the 40th anniversary of the bombing orchestrated by the Irish Republican Army’s Patrick Magee. The attack occurred at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuring 34 others. “For a lot of people, it was revenge,” notes an interviewee, as the film delves into the tensions that led to this significant incident in British history. The project, created by the team behind “Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland,” features first-hand accounts and archival footage to narrate the full story.

The event continues to be a significant moment in the history of Britain, prompting reflections and discussions on the impacts of such acts of violence. The documentary provides an opportunity to revisit the incident while exploring the narratives of those who lived through it.