Labour returned to power in February 1974? What would be its approach to Ireland?
Granted internment was eventually ended in December 1975 but it was replaced by what Clough (2014) describes as "judicial internment." For a start there was the introduction of juryless, conveyor belt like Diplock Courts where convictions were almost guaranteed. Between 1975 and 1979 between 93 and 96% of all cases appearing before the Diplock courts result in conviction.
Of those convictions 70-90% depended wholly or mainly on confessions. Often these confessions were extracted following the use of torture. And under Roy Mason, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1976 onwards torture became even more widespread.
Indeed the notorious McGonigal judgment officially sanctioned torture. A "certain roughness of treatment of detainees" was acceptable it said.
When prisoners were injured Mason described those injuries as "self-inflicted." Plus he denounced an ITV expose as "cheque book journalism."
Eventually even Amnesty International got involved. Its report, released in May 1978, confirmed that mistreatment of suspects was widespread.
Labour had also passed the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act, sent in the SAS with permission to "shoot to kill", withdrawn Special Category Status and presided over the framing of those such as Judith Ward, the Guilford Four, the Birmingham Six and the Maguire Seven.
Labour's term of office ended with a grubby offer to Loyalists of more seats in return for parliamentary support. No wonder Clough (2014) comments that in Ireland -and elsewhere- Labour has proved to be a "party fit for imperialism."