The Long Good Friday

The picture you can see above was taken 20 years ago today.  That's me in the top right-hand corner.  Ulster Unionist Leader David Trimble is at the microphone offering the world's media his perspective on the Good Friday Agreement which had just been signed.

He was my boss back then and, earlier that day, he and I had a brief discussion over my concerns on the early release of paramilitary prisoners which was part of the deal.  I wasn't a fan of that bit and expressed my worry that these provisions could lead to the Agreement being effectively still born.

"This is about giving the people of Northern Ireland a chance," he told me, calmly but with sincerity.

A few hours later, after taking a call from President Clinton and having received two crucial "side letters" on other contentious issues from Prime Minister Tony Blair, David addressed the Ulster Unionist team.  He told us that he was minded to run with what was on the table.

A well-known Belfast city councillor asked what would happen if he was wrong.

"We're all expendable," David replied 

And with that, the long battle began, first to "sell" the Agreement and then keep the peace process on track.

My role was London-based, looking after the interests of Ulster Unionist MPs and peers in Parliament.  The UUP had 10 MPs back then and, during the referendum campaign, six campaigned in favour of the Good Friday Agreement with the other four arguing for a "No" vote.

The people of Ireland - north and south - resoundingly supported the Agreement in that referendum.  So common sense might lead you to believe that the right thing to do was rally round and make it work, despite its weaknesses.

Unfortunately, it didn't quite play out that way and I spent the next five years tearing my hair out whilst doing my best to hold the Ulster Unionist Parliamentary Party together as a functional unit.   

Fast forward to the present day and you'll probably be aware that there is no longer even an Assembly meeting at Stormont, let alone a devolved government.  Many of the old arguments that I had to deal with continue to rage on with no obvious end in sight.

But the bottom line is that Northern Ireland is now a much better, happier and peaceful place than it was 20 years ago today. 

Let's hope that the bravery and goodwill that I was so privileged to witness at first hand on 10 April 1998 will be replicated some time soon.