Warrington bomb convinced spy to hold secret talk with IRA

Saturday, March 20, 1993 saw two devices detonated on Bridge Street, which claimed the life of three-year-old Johnathan Ball, and five days later 12-year-old Tim Parry succumbed to his injuries, too.

Speaking at the 30th anniversary service to commemorate the bombing, Sir John Major confessed that the Irish peace process was at risk over that weekend, as it was a 'terrible waste' of life.

Sir John explained that the peace process was 'at risk' the weekend of the bombing (Image: Newsquest)

Now, it has been revealed that Sir John, in his role as then-Prime Minister, called off talks that were due to take place the following week - but an MI5 officer disobeyed the orders, and went ahead with the meeting anyway.

A BBC journalist, Peter Taylor, has spent the last 29 years searching for the spy in question, who was mentioned by Sinn Fein in the minutes from the meeting that took place in 1993.

Peter managed to locate the MI5 spy, and he found out that the spy was not authorised to hold the talks by the British government.

The spy said: "I was... on my own, dealing at one remove with the IRA's leadership in the most crucial matter affecting Irish and probably British politics.

"I knew I had to succeed, and only consistency and patience would achieve this.

"Yes, I misled the Prime Minister - so I misled the Queen as well. It was a hard and really very unpleasant thing to have on your conscience. I felt very alone."

The spy, known as Robert, met with IRA representatives on March 23, 1993 - just three days after the bombing of Warrington took place; and two days before Tim Parry died from his injuries.

Robert explained that Warrington was a turning point in the peace process, and it convinced him to disobey the orders from Downing Street: "I had all sorts of thoughts going through [my mind]. A concern that I was going against my own government and the Queen."

It was later revealed by The Observer that a meeting took place with a British spy, with the truth coming out in November 1993; Peter Taylor said: "This is hugely embarrassing because the government had repeatedly denied that there had been any face to face meetings with the IRA."

Robert then resigned from MI5.

He later said: "I'd like what I did to be remembered."

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian at the 30th anniversary service marking the Warrington bombing, Sir John Major said: "The Irish peace process was on my mind and on the top of my desk every day I was in Downing Street.

"This was one of the most horrible moments [of the process] when we heard what had happened here.

"The completely random killing of two little boys, and injuring many other people - it was a dreadful occasion."

Sir John spoke at the service marking the 30th anniversary of the Warrington bombing (Image: Newsquest)

The ex-PM added: "I think the whole country was emotional about it, and it had an impact - it changed people's minds both here, and in Ireland.

"It was a terrible waste, what happened - but out of it, some good did come."

The Warrington Guardian asked the former Prime Minister about the challenges of responding to an event like this; Sir John said: "I feared that if we gave up on the peace process there would be more bombs; more children killed; more people injured; more violence.

"The whole purpose of the peace process was to end it - that's why we continue."

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