Robinson and McGuinness on song

  • Post

  • 8 February 2011

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 3

One of the questions I faced constantly in Belfast yesterday was whether I thought Martin McGuinness would be an acceptable first minister of Northern Ireland. The question is being asked because of the possibility that Sinn Fein will poll the most votes in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections. It seems unlikely to me, but that the question is being asked at all shows how far the peace process has come. I visited Stormont yesterday and as well as speaking to members and staff had meetings with McGuinness and first minister Peter Robinson. The meeting with Robinson took place directly below where some of the key meetings of the early days of the peace process took place - the first TB handshake with Gerry Adams, the place where TB told SF he would not be a persuader for a united Ireland. And the place where, when TB was trying to persuade Peter Robinson of his commitment to the principle of consent, a fire alarm went off.'What was that?asked TB. 'That was the lie detector,' said Robinson. Yesterday both first and deputy first minister were so different to how they used to be - relaxed, full of praise for each other and above all working together. The mood at Stormont as a whole was so different to how it used to be when we were constantly flying in and out of crisis meetings. As to the outcome of the election, the general view seems to be that the DUP will do best, but SF will do well and McGuinness will remain as deputy first minister. Earlier I spoke to students at Queen's and said that perhaps living here you do not get a true sense of the scale of political change that you get if you are just a time to time visitor like I am. But hearing McGuinness talk about how nobody wanted to go back to the old days, and Robinson talk about what McGuinness brought to the place, really brought the scale of that change home.

3 responses to “Robinson and McGuinness on song”

  1. A heartening ray of sunshine in a world where conflicts fester and grow and continue for generations and everything seems so hopeless.

    Perhaps a group of Northern Ireland leaders visit trouble spots and show that, when the political climate is right, a surprising degree of harmony is achievable? That was said half in jest, but I think I’m serious!

  2. As a native of Belfast who moved to London in ’97 I do feel a different atmosphere when I go back. My old Uni friends and I can talk about politics and even make the odd sectarian joke when we tour our old student bars. This was not possible prior to the peace process, it just wasn’t on when people were dying around us. A lot has changed a lot more needs to change. Terrorist acts continue, peace walls remain. Unless we do something about our segregated education system I am afraid one side will always be distrustful of the other. One can’t judge the progress towards a better future by visiting Stormont. Better go to New Lodge or Sandy Row to see how far we have to go.

  3. Well said: and compare with the rest of GB where Blair led a rush to the defence and establishment of more “faith schools” and the PC brigade said we must accept them. They are good.
    No they are not. They should be banned and you should arrange tours of NI to show the division, distrust, bigotry and hatred which their existence leads to.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

207. Gordon Brown: How to Fix a Fracturing World

What did Gordon Brown learn from leading the UK through the global financial crisis? Why do so many citizens today not belong to any civic or religious group, and how does that impact our politics? Ho... Continue

21 September 2026

The Greatest Threat Humans Just Can’t Stomach with Yuval Noah Harari

Episode 2 is available right now for TRIP Plus members. Sign up at therestispolitics.com What can the Aztec Empire's catastrophic failure to understand Cortés and the Spanish conquistadors teach us ... Continue

18 September 2026

572. Trump’s Next Middle East Crisis and Reform’s £72m Megadonation

Is the Houthi’s seizure of one of the world's most critical waterways the clearest proof yet that Trump's Iran war has become a catastrophe? With the very people building AI now calling for a pause,... Continue

17 September 2026

498 campbell orr

Alastair Campbell’s diary: The right wing media hounded Jason Arday and ignored James Orr. It’s obvious why

When a real scandal comes along, some parts of the press just can’t bring themselves to acknowledge it... Continue

16 September 2026

571. Rory and Alastair Challenge Ed Miliband on Israel-Palestine

Why has Ed Miliband gone further than any previous foreign secretary in confirming the occupation of the Palestinian territories as illegal and placing sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Ban... Continue

15 September 2026

Cadogan x post image

Join Alastair Campbell and Mishal Husain live at Cadogan Hall

Persevilience: The word the world needs now is the title of Alastair Campbell’s new book. It is also the starting point for a conversation with... Continue

14 September 2026

206. How Putin’s War Changed Finland Forever (Sanna Marin)

Following Putin's war in Ukraine, how politically challenging was it committing Finland to join NATO? What was it like becoming the world's youngest sitting prime minister at 34? Why did a scandal ove... Continue

14 September 2026

“Our Generation Was Lied To”: Two Gen Z MPs on Fixing Politics

To hear the full series “The Gen Z Story”, sign up at the restispolitics.com – use your student email for a discount How do you get older colleagues to take you seriously when you become an MP ... Continue

11 September 2026