| Carlton Club bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Troubles | |
 Front of the clubhouse in 2009 | |
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Date | 25 June 1990 |
| Target | Conservative politicians |
Attack type | Bomb |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Injured | 20 |
| Perpetrator | Provisional Irish Republican Army |
On 25 June 1990, the Provisional IRA detonated a bomb at the Carlton Club, a club in London popular among MPs and supporters of the ruling Conservative Party.[1] The bombing injured 20 people, one of whom, Lord Kaberry of Adel, died a year later. The ground floor collapsed to the basement and windows were shattered. The blast was felt up to half a mile away.
In a statement, the IRA said: "Like Brighton in 1984, the IRA has brought the war directly to those who keep the British Army on the streets and in the fields of Ireland. While such occupation continues, and the Nationalist people face daily oppression, the policy makers and their military arm will not be safe."[2] The attack was part of the IRA's escalating campaign that started in early 1990 and which had claimed two lives and 27 injuries since May that year.[citation needed] The conservative MP for Fulham Matthew Carrington called the attack very "worrying" as it was a non-military target, suggesting a dangerous tactic from the IRA against members of the public.[3]
The bomb contained 15 lb (6.8 kg) of Semtex explosives. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher arrived at the club shortly after the bombing and spoke with some of the victims.[4]
- ^ "Car bomb kills lawmaker in Britain". Associated Press. 30 July 1990.
- ^ "I.R.A. Says It Bombed Tory Club in London". New York Times. 27 June 1990.
- ^ "Carlton Club bombed by IRA". bufvc.ac.uk. British Universities Film & Video Council. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "Lord Lexden, historian of the Carlton Club, pays tribute to Margaret Thatcher on behalf of the Club". Lord Lexden OBE. 9 April 2013.