An IRA prison escapee pardoned by Margaret Thatcher’s government has said she was a pragmatist whose ministers made small concessions as part of dealings with Ireland.

More than 350 royal pardons have been issued in Northern Ireland over the past 35 years, the Government has disclosed.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson has requested the recall of the devolved Assembly after claiming a government deal that saw IRA terror suspects assured they would not be prosecuted also involved the granting of royal pardons.