Peter Oldham KC’s “Law and Politics at the National Industrial Relations Court 1970-75”, published last autumn, has been reviewed in the most recent edition of the Modern Law Review (Volume 89, Issue 3, May 2026) by Charles Wynn-Evans. Peter’s book is about the remarkable behind the scenes activity at the NIRC, involving politicians, judges and civil servants, and in particular the NIRC’s president Sir John Donaldson. The review says that the book is:-
“an excellently written and insightful book, sprinkled with artful touches of humour, combining a historian’s skilful archivism, engaging storytelling, and astute and nuanced assessment of its source material and its political and legal context, with an experienced labour law KC’s sophisticated understanding of the legal and regulatory framework of the IRA 1971. Far from being a dry legal analysis of the IRA 1971, this book places the NIRC vividly in its legal, political, and industrial relations context and draws out many fascinating insights into its operation, and Sir John’s approach to his role. It also sheds light on the legal and political manoeuvring which took place behind closed doors amongst senior judicial and political figures seeking to defuse the crisis to which the NIRC’s operation gave rise during this period, in the face of the trade unions’ mobilisation of their industrial power to challenge the IRA 1971.”
