Friends of the Union (Group)

An organisation established in June 1986 to "increase knowledge and understanding of the need to maintain the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Prominent members of the organisation at the time were John Biggs-Davison and Ian Gow both Members of Parliament. Most of the members of the group were outspoken opponents of the Anglo-Irish Agreement that was signed in November 1985. When first established, 16 Conservative Party Members of Parliament (MPs) and 8 Conservative Peers in the House of Lords were listed as trustees (or patrons) of the organisation.