Arlene Foster: Martin McGuinness was behind a number of IRA atrocities right into the 1980s

The ex-DUP leader made the comments in a piece she has written as part of a project for Belfast’s Linenhall Library.

She does not specify which atrocities she believes he was responsible for.

McGuinness himself claimed to have quit the IRA in 1974, though this is widely disbelieved.

Mrs Foster also voiced pessimism about the Province’s political prospects, suggesting Sinn Fein does not “want Northern Ireland to work”.

Mrs Foster’s comments came as part of an exhibition called ExtraORDINARY Women, comprised of stories and opinions from a raft of Northern Irish women in different fields.

The main thrust of her piece is the divisive nature of politics in Northern Ireland, and she laments that anybody who even exchanges a pleasant word with a political opponent risks marking themselves out as “weak” and “weird”.

Mrs Foster – now aged 51 – first came to public attention when she gave an interview to national television at age 17, after the IRA detonated a bomb on her school bus.

A solicitor by trade, she was elected as an MLA in 2003, for her home constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

She then ditched the UUP in 2007 and joined the DUP.

Down the years she has been Northern Ireland’s minister for enterprise, the environment, and finance, as well as being First Minister from May 12, 2016, to June 14, 2021, when she was ousted in a coup that brought Edwin Poots to power – before his leadership crumbled too mere weeks later.

Her contribution piece for the museum is titled ‘A Little Less Twitter, A Lot More Thought and Direct Conversation’, and begins: “When you leave elected office in the fashion I have, the obvious question is: ‘What are you going to do next?’

“The honest answer is I’m not really sure! There are plenty of things I’d like to do, but what one is capable of doing is an altogether different kettle of fish!”

It continues as follows:

“For so long now I have been steeped in NI and its difficult politics.

“Yes, all politics is challenging – it’s part of the reason why we do it, but being the leader of the largest Unionist party whilst a privilege of course brings its own downsides.

“Due to the nature of politics here the divisiveness is stark – you are seen as somewhat strange if you have friends in other political parties.

“It reminds me of the Labour member who claimed proudly that she had never, nor would she ever, snog a Tory.

“Well in NI, if you are in the pleasant-exchange-territory then you are seen as somewhat of a weakling, never mind the latter!

“Looking in at the Palace of Westminster I had always thought politics to be mostly civil.

“Of course that is a generalisation, and I found that out when I attended a Policy Exchange event to launch the ‘The age of Incivility: Understanding the new politics’ back in 2018.

“The subsequent call for evidence was important because it is right that we understand the issue from a data point of view, rather than anecdotal stories – of which some of us have many!

“The launch was chaired by Trevor Phillips former Equality and Human Rights Commission Chair and was attended by members from across the political spectrum – and that’s the important point: people from different perspectives discussing issues in a civilised fashion.

“Unfortunately, the language in Westminster politics is not improving because, as I write this blog, the deputy leader of the Labour Part, Angela Rayner has just called the Tories ‘scum’. Not much progress there.

“When I was First Minister of Northern Ireland I shared an office with the deputy First Minister, firstly Martin McGuiness and then Michelle O’Neill.

“Both were steeped in Irish republicanism.

“In McGuinness’ case he was a self-confessed member of the IRA and responsible for a number of atrocities in the 1970s and 1980s.

“For many in NI they could not understand how I could even bear to be in the same room never mind share an office.

“For me it was about trying to secure a better Northern Ireland for the future and that meant not ignoring their beliefs or history, far from it, but trying to disagree well.

“In other words, recognising where there was common ground and building on that, and trying to deal with areas where we had fundamental differences in a way that did not do damage to the system of government given to us by the Belfast Agreement.

“In other words, I was trying to show that politics worked not the alternative which I had grown up with.

“For NI politics to be successful however both sides have to want it to work and I’m not sure that’s the case in Northern Ireland with Sinn Fein pushing for constitutional change whatever the cost to our citizens.

“In today’s social media world of politics not even subtle points are lost in translation. I really regret that.

“Yes, your opponents are always going to spin your point of view to suit their agenda, but 280 characters is not enough space for a political argument to be put forward, never mind digested and contradicted.

“The main stream broadcasters are becoming just as bad with their soundbite headlines.

“Say something outrageous in Parliament and you will be on the 6 o’clock news.

“Develop a political argument in a thoughtful way and try to persuade others of your point of view and it will not make the cut.

“Is this the political discussion we want or need?

“Of all places in the world Northern Ireland needs nuance and understanding in its politics and none of the social media platforms allow that to happen.

“We need a little less Twitter and a lot more thought and direct conversation. There may then be a little less outrage – I can but hope.

“So, in answer to the question: ‘What are you going to do next?’, the answer is partly at least to try and ensure there is a space for civil debate without the drama and sometimes the hatred which is all too often a mark of social media. “AF.”

The ExtraORDINARY Women exhibition is open from Monday and runs until December 20.

It is comprised of both online testimonies (such as Mrs Foster’s piece above) and physical artefacts.

The library will host an in-person and online celebration on Monday, November 8.

To watch, go to this link: vimeo.com/event/1409353

For more, click here: ‘What school grades do I need to join PSNI – and how much will I earn?’

Click here: Date is set for massive Orange centenary parade in Northern Ireland – akin to 2012’s vast Ulster Covenant march

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