The Carlton Club bombing was a direct IRA attack on Conservative Party politicians in central London, killing one peer and injuring 20.
Key Facts
- Date
- 25 June 1990
- Explosive used
- Semtex
- Explosive weight
- 15 lb (6.8 kg)
- Injured
- 20 people
- Deaths
- 1 (Lord Kaberry, died one year later)
- Blast radius
- Up to half a mile
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Provisional IRA was conducting an escalating campaign of violence in 1990, targeting British political figures and institutions to pressure the UK government over its military presence in Northern Ireland. The campaign had already claimed two lives and 27 injuries since May 1990.
On 25 June 1990, a 15 lb Semtex bomb was detonated at the Carlton Club in London, a venue frequented by Conservative MPs and party supporters. The blast collapsed the ground floor into the basement, shattered windows, and was felt up to half a mile away, injuring 20 people.
Lord Kaberry of Adel died from his injuries approximately a year after the attack, making him the sole fatality. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited the club shortly after the explosion. The bombing drew concern over the IRA's willingness to strike non-military civilian targets and prominent political venues.