▁Ul ster ▁national ism ▁by ▁Re es ▁at ▁it ▁represented ▁open ▁def iance ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁by ▁loyal ists ▁and ▁indeed ▁some ▁leaders , ▁not ably ▁Bar r ▁did ▁support ▁long - term ▁independence . ▁However ▁ultimately ▁the ▁issue ▁did ▁not ▁enter ▁into ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁government . ▁ ▁Post - st rike ▁The ▁initial ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁strike ▁was ▁j ub ilation ▁with ▁large ▁bon f ires ▁lit ▁across ▁loyal ist ▁areas ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁although ▁before ▁long ▁cra cks ▁appeared . ▁Public ly ▁the ▁political ▁leaders ▁P ais ley , ▁Craig ▁and ▁Harry ▁West ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁claim ▁the ▁glory ▁whilst ▁the ▁shop ▁ste wards ▁returned ▁to ▁work ▁an onym ously ▁and ▁the ▁par amil it ary ▁leaders ▁f aded ▁into ▁the ▁background . ▁Non eth eless ▁the ▁loyal ist ▁par amil itar ies ▁had ▁decided ▁that ▁political ▁activity ▁might ▁still ▁be ▁an ▁a venue ▁worth ▁expl oring , ▁with ▁both ▁main ▁groups ▁declaring ▁ce ase f ires ▁and ▁the ▁U VF ▁announ cing ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁Vol unte er ▁Political ▁Party . ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁government ▁took ▁the ▁strike ▁as ▁a ▁sign ▁that ▁a ▁solution ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁im posed ▁by ▁rather ▁that ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁or ▁at ▁least ▁their ▁represent atives , ▁had ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁solution ▁for ▁themselves . ▁A ▁white ▁paper ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁July ▁out lin ing ▁plans ▁for ▁a ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Constitution al ▁Convention ▁which ▁would ▁provide ▁the ▁Northern ▁Irish ▁with ▁" a ▁cru cial ▁part