Former DUP leader Ian Paisley dies aged 88, Dr Ian Paisley, the firebrand Irish unionist and former First Minister, has died aged 88, his family has said. The death of Dr Paisley, who founded and led the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), led to tributes from all political divides including once sworn enemies who would later describe him as a “friend”. Three former British Prime Ministers joined David Cameron and leaders across Irish politics to praise a man who went from a staunch opponent of the peace process to a key instrument of it. Dr Paisley, a Protestant preacher, was for decades the face of opposition to compromise with the IRA in Northern Ireland, famed as much for his thunderous speeches as his political stance. Friends and one-time foes described him as a “colossus” and “big man of Irish politics” while former Prime Minister Tony Blair said he had “”began as the militant. He ended as the peace-maker”. As charismatic leader of the strongly Christian DUP, Dr Paisley opposed successive political deals including the Anglo Irish and Good Friday Agreements but agreed to power-sharing with Sinn Fein in 2007 following that partys acceptance of the new police force. Once incomprehensible images of him and Sinn Fein’ deputy first minister Martin McGuinness regularly laughing together earned them the nickname “Chuckle Brothers”. Mr McGuinness said he was very sad to learn of his death, adding: “I have lost a friend. He said: Over a number of decades we were political opponents and held very different views on many, many issues but the one thing we were absolutely united on was the principle that our people were better able to govern themselves than any British government. I want to pay tribute to and comment on the work he did in the latter days of his political life in building agreement and leading unionism into a new accommodation with republicans and nationalists. In the brief period that we worked together in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister I developed a close working relationship with him which developed into a friendship, which despite our many differences lasted beyond his term in office. Farewell
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 06:14:09 +0000
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