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| Reflections on Ian Paisley | Reflections on Ian Paisley |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Politicians have been reacting to the death of former DUP leader and Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley. | Politicians have been reacting to the death of former DUP leader and Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron | |
| "Ian Paisley was one of the most forceful and instantly recognisable characters in British politics for nearly half a century. | |
| "His length of service was remarkable, as a Stormont MP, a Westminster MP for forty years, an MEP and, latterly, as First Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly. | |
| "Of course, Ian Paisley was a controversial figure for large parts of his career. Yet the contribution he made in his later years to political stability in Northern Ireland was huge. | |
| "I saw him most in the House of Commons, where his great oratory stood out. He had a deserved reputation as one of the most hard working and effective MPs. | |
| "Ian Paisley will be remembered by many as the 'Big Man' of Northern Ireland politics. He will be greatly missed." | |
| Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness | |
| "I learned with deep regret and sadness of the death of former first minister the Rev Dr Ian Paisley. | |
| "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. | |
| First Minister Peter Robinson | First Minister Peter Robinson |
| "I don't think that there's anyone who has had more influence in Northern Ireland over the years. | "I don't think that there's anyone who has had more influence in Northern Ireland over the years. |
| "He made a massive contribution, particularly to the process in which we are currently engaged. | "He made a massive contribution, particularly to the process in which we are currently engaged. |
| "Even those who thought the least of his politics, thought the most of him as a person. | "Even those who thought the least of his politics, thought the most of him as a person. |
| "He had a tremendous presence. You could see when he entered a room the whole focus of the room changed. | "He had a tremendous presence. You could see when he entered a room the whole focus of the room changed. |
| "He was a fantastic character, a real personality." | "He was a fantastic character, a real personality." |
| Labour Party leader Ed Miliband | |
| "Dr Paisley was a towering figure in Northern Ireland politics for decades. His decision to take the DUP into a power-sharing partnership with Sinn Féin was the ultimate act of political courage and reconciliation. | |
| "His willingness to work positively with Martin McGuinness was a key element in ensuring continued peace and stability in Northern Ireland. | |
| "My thoughts are with Ian Paisley Jr and the rest of the Paisley family at this very sad time." | |
| Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny | |
| "I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to him in recent years, and I know that he treasured the peace and friendship that he had lived to see, and helped to build, between our traditions. | |
| "His devotion to his faith and to the unionist people of Northern Ireland was deep and unshakeable. | |
| "In time, history will come to a fuller judgment of his long career. And, while he was of course a divisive figure, his greatest legacy will be one of peace." | |
| Former prime minister Tony Blair | Former prime minister Tony Blair |
| "Ian was a man of deep convictions. The convictions never changed. But his appreciation of the possibilities of peace, gradually and with much soul-searching, did. | "Ian was a man of deep convictions. The convictions never changed. But his appreciation of the possibilities of peace, gradually and with much soul-searching, did. |
| "He began as the militant. He ended as the peacemaker. | "He began as the militant. He ended as the peacemaker. |
| "Over time I got to know him well. He could be an uncompromising, even intransigent, opponent. But he was also someone who loved Northern Ireland and its people. | |
| "He led them but he also followed them. When they said to him peace was thinkable, he made it possible." | |
| Former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern | Former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern |
| "Ian was a big man, he had a big heart. | "Ian was a big man, he had a big heart. |
| "In my younger days I found him a very difficult character, but we ended up very good friends. He was a valuable character in the peace process." | |
| Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt | Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt |
| "There will be plenty of time to reflect on Ian Paisley's impact on the shaping of the modern Northern Ireland and its relations with our nearest neighbours, but today is a time to give the Paisley household space to mourn. | "There will be plenty of time to reflect on Ian Paisley's impact on the shaping of the modern Northern Ireland and its relations with our nearest neighbours, but today is a time to give the Paisley household space to mourn. |
| "My sympathies to Baroness Paisley and the family." | "My sympathies to Baroness Paisley and the family." |
| Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams | Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams |
| "I am shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Dr Ian Paisley. | "I am shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Dr Ian Paisley. |
| "There will be plenty of time for political analysis but at this point I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to Ian's wife Eileen and to the Paisley family at this very sad time." | "There will be plenty of time for political analysis but at this point I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to Ian's wife Eileen and to the Paisley family at this very sad time." |
| DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds | DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds |
| "Our prayers and deepest condolences are with the Paisley family on the passing of Ian - a prince of preachers and a great Ulsterman." | |
| SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell | SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell |
| "I think Ian Paisley was an enigma. | "I think Ian Paisley was an enigma. |
| "On the one hand, while he did some crazy things and he said some awful things, and he incited people at times to do things that would have been better not done, at a purely personal level, he had a kind and generous side. | "On the one hand, while he did some crazy things and he said some awful things, and he incited people at times to do things that would have been better not done, at a purely personal level, he had a kind and generous side. |
| "He was very much an enigma in that sense - the public persona was, in many ways, very much at odds with the personal and family man that he was." | "He was very much an enigma in that sense - the public persona was, in many ways, very much at odds with the personal and family man that he was." |
| Alliance Party leader David Ford | Alliance Party leader David Ford |
| "Ian Paisley was a dedicated political representative who served the people of North Antrim for over four decades. | "Ian Paisley was a dedicated political representative who served the people of North Antrim for over four decades. |
| "This was a huge period of time working on behalf of his constituents. His passing marks the end of the era, Northern Ireland politics will not be the same following his death. | "This was a huge period of time working on behalf of his constituents. His passing marks the end of the era, Northern Ireland politics will not be the same following his death. |
| "Although many of us opposed his actions for many years, he played a key role in getting the Northern Ireland Assembly back on track in 2007 and I commended him for his work and effort in achieving this." | "Although many of us opposed his actions for many years, he played a key role in getting the Northern Ireland Assembly back on track in 2007 and I commended him for his work and effort in achieving this." |
| UKIP Northern Ireland leader David McNarry | UKIP Northern Ireland leader David McNarry |
| "The Doc or the Big Man, as he was affectionately known, treated me as a gentleman would, and I am deeply saddened by this news of his death. | "The Doc or the Big Man, as he was affectionately known, treated me as a gentleman would, and I am deeply saddened by this news of his death. |
| "The unionist family will mourn together and grieve for a great man." | |
| Alastair Campbell, former spokesperson for Tony Blair | Alastair Campbell, former spokesperson for Tony Blair |
| "Sad to hear of Ian Paisley's passing. For all the sound and fury he was a remarkable figure and 'Chuckle Brothers' with McGuinness a great moment." | |
| Former secretary of state Shaun Woodward | |
| "Ian was a giant. He loved Northern Ireland with a passion. Truly a great figure in political life. But equally a great man to his family and friends. | |
| "Without his steadfast and dedicated commitment to bringing peace to Northern Ireland, the extraordinary steps - which today hallmark both the peace process and the political process - might never have been made. | |
| "Our politics has truly lost a great statesman and a true public servant." | |
| Former secretary of state Peter Hain | Former secretary of state Peter Hain |
| "There were these two faces of Ian Paisley - the very nice decent man in private and then the public image, which was rather different." | "There were these two faces of Ian Paisley - the very nice decent man in private and then the public image, which was rather different." |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage | UKIP leader Nigel Farage |
| "Dr Ian Paisley RIP. A good friend to me in my early days in politics. The only man I've shared a platform with who made me feel shy." | "Dr Ian Paisley RIP. A good friend to me in my early days in politics. The only man I've shared a platform with who made me feel shy." |
| George Galloway, Respect Party leader | |
| "Sorry to hear of the death of Rev Ian Paisley. | |
| "May God have mercy upon him and forgive his errors. As a private man he was good and kind." | |
| Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby | |
| "He was a passionate advocate for his community, a parliamentarian who made his presence felt in our national life and a man of deep faith. | |
| "History will remember him for many things but above all for having the courage, when he judged the moment to be right, of taking the difficult but vital steps towards reconciliation." | |
| Rev Peter Murray, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland | |
| "He had a remarkable ability as an orator to speak to the masses and also take a keen interest in the life of the ordinary person on the street. | |
| "In recent years his willingness to take substantial steps towards building a strong working relationship with political opponents helped to build a peace process which we hope will prove to be a lasting legacy to future generations." |