A politician ahead of his time, he signed the Sunningdale Agreement as leader of unionism but was quickly dumped by his party which was alarmed by the Council of Ireland idea and uncomfortable about sharing power with nationalists.
Faulkner initially had a reputation as a hardliner who introduced internment without trial, but turned into a moderate at the end. Though willing to reach an historic compromise with "the other side", he failed to bring the grass roots of the Unionist Party along with him. Unlike David Trimble, he could not point to an IRA ceasefire as part of the package. The loyalists were outside the tent also and their Ulster Workers' Council strike finally did for Faulkner's career. He became a life peer in 1977 but tragically died in a fall from a horse the same year, aged 56.