Campbell: Adams, McGuinness were tough negotiators

The British government's former head of press relations, Alastair Campbell, said in his diaries that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were tough negotiators during the peace process.

At their first meeting with the Sinn Féin leadership, Mr Campbell wrote that Tony Blair asked them if they would sign up to a settlement that did not explicitly commit London to a united Ireland.

At other times, he said, Gerry Adams was tougher than Mr McGuinness but Tony Blair had been persuaded early on that they were absolutely sincere in trying to find a new way forward.

He also denied that Downing Street tried to undermine the authority of the then Northern Secretary, Mo Mowlam, but said she felt unionists were particularly critical of her work.

Campbell is to launch his memoirs at a party in Dublin next week rather than London because of his prickly relationships with the British press.

He says the Taoiseach is expected to attend.