Belfast Agreement @25: Our ​expression of abject remorse was key to our 1994 ceasefire statement, writes Billy Hutchinson

​My starting point is the 15th December 1994; this is the day the officials representing the British government met with the PUP, UDP and Sinn Fein. Following the ceasefires, we had gone through a quarantine period imposed by the government. Following the ceasefires, we had gone through a quarantine period imposed by the government.

We started the day discussing our approach to the forthcoming meeting. The civil servant chairing the PUP meeting was known to me. As the prisoner in charge of UVF/RHC (Red Hand Commando) prisoners, I had previously held talks with him about Special Category prisoners housed in Long Kesh. In the pre-meeting, Gusty Spence (ex UVF and PUP member) suggested that I head the delegation because of the history between the civil servant and myself. On arrival at Parliament Buildings, we were met by another civil servant I knew very well. He greeted us and announced that the civil servants allocated for the PUP and Sinn Fein meetings had been swapped. It was obviously a ploy to upset our plans. Nonetheless, the meeting went well and we made the points that were important to us, as a party with strong unionist principles.

After the meeting, David Ervine asked me to field any questions from the media, and whenever appropriate he would come in behind me. Two questions were obvious, the first being: What is your mandate? To which I replied, "The silence of the guns". The second question concerned prisoner releases, to which I explained, there are over 300 life sentence prisoners on the streets today, having already gone through a British release scheme. The media were stunned at my reply. I also made clear that we had highlighted to the government our concerns about the lack of infrastructure under direct rule, educational underachievement, little inward investment, lack of growth of local companies and the investment needed for that growth, and the lack of regeneration in unionist communities.

The PUP and UDP went to the USA in November 1994. The reason for the trip was to talk to Irish Americans who were interested in the unionist/loyalist position. The delegation talked about the funding of PIRA, the killing of British citizens and the position of the Union. It was successful, as everyone agreed that peace was the best way forward. It was also agreed that a new enemy was on the horizon. This being the rise of extremists from the Middle East. Ironically, PIRA were fellow travellers with the new extremists from the Middle East. We explained that the evidence for this existed from the 1970s, according to the USA's own security services.

The late David Trimble had been telling David Ervine (in my presence) that he had been harassed at a gathering. Explaining that he had been poked and hit with umbrellas. David Ervine pointed to me and said, unfortunately for us, we would be hit with something that would come at a much higher velocity! I think David Trimble was shocked at hearing David's quip, but he was trying to explain that there were worse positions for us.

On a lighter note, stories abound about my great friend and PUP colleague the late Hugh Smyth. While in Downing Street for talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair, we were all aware that he and wife Cherie were expecting a child. After the formal meeting, Hugh quietly questioned the PM regarding the names of the parents to be. There was a motive, in his madness. The story goes that he got the child's name from his questioning of the PM. I cannot confirm it, but a number of delegates who liked a bet, tell the story that Hugh kept the name to himself. Upon returning home, he placed a wager on what the child's name would be. I cannot stand over the story but shortly afterwards Hugh and wife Ellen enjoyed a family holiday. Perhaps he was just playing along with the rumours! Hugh was very witty and used it to entertain people at every social gathering.

Once the party was at talks in Leeds Castle and Hugh was going for a smoke before the discussions began. I and a few other party members decided to join him on his walk around the grounds. We had not gone too far, when we noticed Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly giving a media interview. Gerry was holding a large piece of wood and an electronic bug. The wood had a square cut out, which allegedly, held the listening device. As we approached, Hugh told Gerry if it had taken him a while to uncover that device, he should have gone to Specsavers! The PUP team could not contain their laughter but I can assure you, Gerry wasn't laughing.

On the 13th October 1994; a ceasefire statement had been issued by the Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC). I believe that elements in the media were surprised and even shocked at the announcement of the ceasefire. I also felt that some in the media could not believe that loyalists were capable of producing a statement of such quality, nor that they could hold the cessation. The expression of abject and true remorse within the statement was deemed to be crucial and had been included from the very first draft, as it was clearly so important to the declaration. All of this was attained with no help from the government. It was achieved in the interest of changing Northern Ireland society.

Later in the process, after the signing of the agreement, we witnessed Prime Minister Tony Blair supplying a reassurance letter to the Ulster Unionists. This was in relation to Sinn Fein being in government. The letter stated that decommissioning would have to happen before any party connected to an armed group, could enter the executive. Of course, there was a concession to republicans. It came in the form of facilitating PIRA to transform and the issuing of the ‘on the run’ letters, that kept republicans out of prison. While all this was happening, loyalists who had been incarcerated and served life sentences, were being arrested for legacy cases and British soldiers were being sought out and charged.

• Billy Hutchinson is a former member of the UVF and later a PUP MLA and councillor and leader of that party

​• Other essays in this series including essays this week from Bertie Ahern, Graham Gudgin and Brid Rodgers are in the opinion section of our website