Revealing insights into the thinking of several Northern Ireland politicians was provided to the British government by a London-based American diplomat in 1993. Bell was surprised at what local politicians would say to a visiting American diplomat whom they did not know. Paisley jnr told Robinson that the DUP would be happy to re-enter the talks process at Stormont 'provided that the Hume-Adams talks were ended'In particular, he referred to Ian Paisley jnr, then the 27-year-old political aide to his father, the DUP leader. “All this was before Daddy [Ian Paisley snr] was evicted from the House of Commons” [for calling Sir Patrick Mayhew a liar]. More noteworthy, Bell reported, was Paisley’s aspiration “that a devolved government in Northern Ireland would have full powers to negotiate any agreement with the Republic including (I gather Mr Paisley swallowed at this point) Border adjustments”.

Source: The Irish Times December 31, 2018 01:52 UTC