Paisley fails to get the last word as his political legacy is left exposed

PREACHER and prophet, a leader for his people in the wilderness and schooled in scripture, Ian Paisley’s encore last Monday was the welter of biblical anathema exchanged with his former deputy Peter Robinson and others once close to him.

In the second of a two-part BBC interview with Eamon Mallie, Paisley, now Lord Bannside, alleged of his once loyal and godly Democratic Unionist Party deputy leader, “there was a beast here who was prepared to go forward to the destruction of the party”. Eileen his wife, and Baroness Paisley of St Georges in her own right, was graphic. “They assassinated him by their words and by their deeds — they treated him shamefully,” she said.

If the accusations were shattering the riposte of Peter Robinson was worse. “As someone who faithfully served Dr Paisley for many decades I will make one final sacrifice by not responding and causing any further damage to his legacy beyond that which he has done himself. Rather than return insult for insult, let me bless him with the mercy of my silence and wish him well.”