Blair lied to prevent fall of peace process
TONY Blair has admitted to lying to prevent the collapse of the Northern Ireland peace process.
In his memoirs, A Journey, published yesterday, the former prime minister said he took "horrendous" chances and stretched the truth "past breaking point" as he dealt with unionists and republicans deadlocked over talks to restore devolved powers.
He admitted that politicians were obliged from time to time to "conceal the full truth, to bend it and even distort it" in the interests of bigger strategic goals.
He wrote: "Without operating with some subtlety at this level, the job would be well-nigh impossible."
Mr Blair also revealed how a leading Orangeman described him as unfit to be prime minister because "my wife was a painted jezebel who claimed her allegiance to Rome".
In his memoirs, Mr Blair wrote of what he describes as the "strange phenomenon about the difference between the two sides (unionist and republican]".
Referring to negotiations in April 1998 leading up to the Belfast Agreement, Mr Blair wrote: "When you saw the republicans, you saw unity in motion. They had a line; they took it; they held it.
"If it appeared to modify in the course of a meeting, it was an illusion – the modification had been pre-built into the line, and the line was sustained.
"Gerry Adams was leader. You would have had no more than one of the delegation raising eyebrows during his remarks, let alone uttering words of dissent than you would have had Ian Paisley leading a rousing chorus of Danny Boy."
Mr Blair added that "per contra, the UUP had the most alarming way of conducting meetings".
He said: "You would think that you had them all jolly and sorted and the one of them, usually not the leader, would make a depressing or downbeat comment and helter-skelter, they would all follow in leaping off the cliff."
He added: "As for supporting their leader, they didn't regard that as their job. At all... Whenever I used to think leading the Labour Party was hard, I would think of David (Trimble] and feel grateful."
Mr Blair later told of how he believed the government was "very lucky in the quality of leadership we had".
He wrote: "David Trimble was instrumental. He began it when it seemed impossible, kept at it when it was most difficult, and paid the ultimate political price [though I have no doubt his reputation in history is fully secure].
“Then in the most unlikely of roles, Ian Paisley – for years the wrecker, the spoiler, the scourge of all in unionism who sought accommodation – took over and completed the process.”
The former Labour party leader also told of his strong relationships with Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and his deputy Martin McGuinness.
Describing them as “an extraordinary couple”, he said that “over time I came to like both greatly, probably more than I should have, if truth be told… they were supreme masters of the distinction between tactics and strategy”.
“They knew the destination and they were determined to bring their followers with them, or at least the vast bulk of them.”
Recalling the first time he met Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness, Mr Blair said: “They were not just hesitant or distrustful, they were sitting down with the enemy.
“For countless meetings at first, Martin would not simply want to negotiate, most of all he would want to explain his side’s purpose, its pain, its anger and its expectations.
“It took time before he came to regard me as a partner and even a friend.”
Mr Blair further recounts that the final stages of peace process talks in 2007 nearly collapsed over the choice of table for a key meeting.
While the DUP wanted the sides to sit opposite each other in order to “show they were still adversaries”, Sinn Fein wanted everyone to sit next to each other “to show they were partners and equals”.
Mr Blair said the deal was only done after a Downing Street official suggested a diamond-shaped table “so they could sit both opposite and with each other”.
See Morning View, page 18
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