British Prime Minister Tony Blair wanted Mo Mowlam "steered off" a plan to amend the Parliamentary Oath to the Queen to help out Sinn Féin.
In February 1998, the Northern Secretary pointed out that Sinn Féin's two MPs, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, were refusing to take the Oath, and were excluded from full access to facilities at Westminster as a result.
Dr Mowlam thought they were winning a propaganda point by claiming they were refusing the Oath due to Republican principle.
"Even if any modernisation of the Oath was insufficient to persuade them to take up their seats, I believe there would be a strong case for seeking to persuade Madam Speaker to relax her ban, at least in some respects…"
One of the Prime Minister’s officials suggested Dr Mowlam should be "steered off this for the moment", to which Mr Blair agreed.
Home Secretary Jack Straw was even less impressed by the suggestion of what he saw as "unwarranted concessions", particularly as it was clear they wouldn’t take their seats anyway.
More on the latest UK state paper release:
