Paisley rules out governing with Sinn Fein

Sinn Féin has put itself out of talks on the political future of Northern Ireland by its actions, the Rev Ian Paisley…

Sinn Féin has put itself out of talks on the political future of Northern Ireland by its actions, the Rev Ian Paisley claimed today.

As the Democratic Unionists launched its election bus at the gates of Stormont, their leader claimed the days of David Trimble and the Ulster Unionists were numbered.

But he also insisted that the General Election on May 5th would be a "day of reckoning" for the peace process.

"The people of Northern Ireland are going to give their decision and it will be a very strong decision in favour of the DUP," the North Antrim candidate said.

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The people of Northern Ireland are going to give their decision and it will be a very strong decision in favour of the DUP
Rev Ian Paisley

"For the first time I believe we are coming from the realm of the stupidity of saying that there is a peace process and into the reality that there is no peace process and we must have a proper peace process founded on one foundation only and that is democracy.

"All this talk that we are eventually going to sit on the other side of the table with Sinn Féin/IRA is nonsense. They have put themselves out.

"They haven't changed. There is no regeneration among them and as far as we are concerned the train must move and it must move from the platform to its destination of proper democracy in Northern Ireland."

Mr Paisley said it was clear that Mr Trimble's days were numbered for some time. "What he is just counting is the time to the electric chair and the rope," he added.

Mr Paisley said it was unclear who would replace Mr Trimble at the controls of the Ulster Unionist party because there was a doubt whether anybody from that party would be elected to Westminster.

"If nobody is elected to Westminster, then you will see the biggest fight of all among their assembly members," he predicted. Mr Paisley said it was very realistic that the UUP would have no MPs returned.