Peter Mandelson warned to use ‘Londonderry/Derry’ in first day in job, declassified papers show

Previously secret files newly-declassified under the 20/30 year rule show the Labour Secretary of State was given a first day briefing on ‘terminology, including expressions best avoided’ with guidance on a range of topics.

Mr. Mandelson, alongside Minister of State Adam Ingram and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State George Howarth, were warned only to use the double-barrelled version of the city’s name.

Among ‘acceptable’ geographical terms listed in the briefing document were ‘Northern Ireland’, ‘The North’, ‘The Province’, ‘West/East of the Bann’, and ‘Londonderry/Derry’.

The ministers were warned that ‘Ulster’, ‘The 6 Counties and North of Ireland’, ‘Being out here’ and ‘Orange/Green Areas’ were four terms that were best avoided.

The memorandum listed the ‘United Kingdom/Great Britain’, ‘These Islands’ and ‘Across the Water’ as ‘acceptable’ terms while warning that ‘The Mainland’, ‘British Isles’, and ‘England’ were ‘best avoided’.

In relation to ‘The Republic of Ireland’ the terms ‘Ireland/The Republic of Ireland/The Republic/The South’ were deemed to be diplomatically sound.

The communique noted that ‘since the Agreement the Irish Government prefers the use of “Ireland” where possible’.

Terms to avoid included, ‘The Free State’, ‘The 26 Counties’, ‘The 32 Counties’ and ‘Éire’.

Civil servants stipulated that the term ‘The Republican Government’ was ‘to be avoided at all costs, as being deeply offensive to that Government’.

Derry-Londonderry road signs plan