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Tony Blair admits he lied to save Irish peace process

Talked God with Paisley and admired Sinn Fein leaders

By
PATRICK COOPER,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, September 1, 2010, 6:58 AM
Updated Thursday, September 2, 2010, 9:54 AM

 

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Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister
Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister

Read more - Tony Blair will be greeted by protests at his Dublin book signing - SEE VIDEO

Tony Blair has admitted he lied to prevent the collapse of the North's peace process, in his new memoir “A Journey’ which launches today.

Blair said said he took “horrendous” chances and stretched the truth “past breaking point” as he sought to carve out a deal between unionists and nationalists who were often deadlocked on issues.

He also revealed  a shocking incident with a leading Orangeman who described him as unfit to be prime minister because “my wife was a painted jezebel who claimed her allegiance to Rome”.

In his new autobiography Tony Blair has also stated that he developed very strong relationships with  Sinn Féin leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, and admitted he came to like them both greatly.

"They were an extraordinary couple," he said of the two men, who have been at the highest levels of republican movement since the early 1970s. "Over time I came to like both greatly, probably more than I should have, if truth be told … They were supreme masters of the distinction between tactics and strategy. They knew the destination and they were determined to bring their followers with them, or at least the vast bulk of them."

Recalling the first meeting with  Sinn Féin leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, Blair wrote: “They were not just hesitant or distrustful, they were sitting down with the enemy.

“For countless meetings at first, Martin would not simply want to negotiate, most of all he would want to explain his side’s purpose, its pain, its anger and its expectations.

“It took time before he came to regard me as a partner and even a friend.”

He says he never accepted that Sinn Fein and the IRA were one and the same.: "I came to the view that the SF/IRA relationship was a bit like that of the Labour leadership and the Labour party NEC [national executive committee]: yes the leadership is powerful, yes it usually gets its way, but not always and rarely without a lot of persuasion and discussion,”

He also reveals that he advised Ian Paisley to "let God guide him" in the final stages of the Northern Ireland peace negotiations that  led to the end of The Troubles and the power-sharing government  between the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin in 2007.

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Posted by Spiddal on Sep 03, 2010, 05:10 PM EDT
Doesn't surprise me a bit. Thanks for sticking your neck out, Tony.
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Posted by Marion211 on Sep 03, 2010, 02:52 PM EDT
Dear Mr. Blair, I wish you were an American so you could run for President...wait, that doesn't matter anymore!
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Posted by CarolineRyan on Sep 03, 2010, 01:27 PM EDT
I can well believe some truth-stretching would have been completely necessary to keep both unionists and republicans talking in this windy, complex peace process. The North owes Tony Blair - as it owes the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, former Sen. George Mitchell, Pres. Clinton and Northern Ireland Secretary of State Mo Mowlam - a great deal. They and others helped broker a peace that so many thought was impossible for decades. They worked a miracle, and nothing less. - Caroline Oceana Ryan, author - AN OLD CASTLE STANDING ON A FORD: One Yank's Life in an Almost Peaceful Belfast
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Posted by Southernpride on Sep 02, 2010, 10:18 PM EDT
Ian Paisley is a certified Scots-Irish, Presbyterian Halfwit. Presbyterians are looked down upon, and not recognized by mainstream, Anglo-Saxon protestants who are decent people
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Posted by kilkenny999 on Sep 02, 2010, 05:22 PM EDT
ian paisley was right to be concerned about catholic rome,but he realised so were the majority of the people in the republic of ireland,they are quite happy to live and work with protestants and orangemen.
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Sep 02, 2010, 06:37 AM EDT
I may not agree with Adams and McGuiness and maybe I can disagree because I live far away! But the one thing I take from this article is that the key to peace - anywhere is COMMUNICATION and TALKING not necessarily military action!! Although you could argue it was the gun that got republicans to the table in the end, COMMUNICATION was needed, inclusive communication with all relevant parties!
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Posted by Southernpride on Sep 01, 2010, 10:04 PM EDT
McGuinness was an agent for MI6, former spy claimsBy David Sharrock, Ireland Correspondent Mick Smith weblog A FORMER army intelligence officer’s claims that Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein’s chief negotiator and a former Provisional IRA chief-of-staff, was a British agent were dismissed by his party yesterday. The Sunday World, a tabloid newspaper based in Dublin, quoted a former member of the Army’s controversial Force Research Unit, running paramilitary agents in Northern Ireland, as saying: “McGuinness was working for MI6.” A number of other Irish newspapers made the same allegation but did not name Mr McGuinness, referring instead to “a senior member of the Provisional IRA and Sinn Fein” and “a leading Sinn Fein member”.
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Posted by vincentruane on Sep 01, 2010, 09:40 PM EDT
All people who have signed the so called peace agreement, in relation to Northern Ireland, regardless of your political persuasion or religious beliefs needs to read 'The Copenhagen Agreement'Also journalists need to ask why this evil Copenhagen Agreement was not made available to all journalists at least six months before your nations political representative was meant to sign your nations sovereignty away. This evil agreement will probably reappear under another name and expect another major Global Warming Hoax which will be strongly supported by major dishonourable sections of the media, which will be one of the major catalyst for this treason against the people's of many nations. Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and many other nations need to strongly consider removing themselves from this planned evil attack against the freedom of their nations people!
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Posted by Southernpride on Sep 01, 2010, 09:09 PM EDT
Adams and McGuiness are traitors who sold out to the cunning Brits. Sinn Fein is, and always has been, full of spies for the Brits.
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Posted by Brolaur on Sep 01, 2010, 08:04 PM EDT
Nothing has changed my mind that Blair is a LIAR eg Iraq, now Northern Ireland and I'm sure there will continue to be hundreds of more. He should be charged along with Bush, Chaney and Rumpsfeld, with War crimes. Listen galway2001, he's telling us the truth that he lied
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Posted by Searlit on Sep 01, 2010, 06:14 PM EDT
No way, galway2001.
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Posted by galway2001 on Sep 01, 2010, 06:01 PM EDT
next to ronald regan pres. george bush was the best president . give it up you liberals your sickining
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Posted by galway2001 on Sep 01, 2010, 05:57 PM EDT
thumbs up for tony blair finely a brit is telling the truth
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Posted by warrenpoint00 on Sep 01, 2010, 05:48 PM EDT
Shocked at an orange man...Tony should now understand what Irish catholics had to endure and the mind set of this religious right wing organization. He did an excellent job though of keeping these people on board and steering them on the road to an all Ireland agenda where he and they know that they will have a better more shared and comfortable future than they would have with the people of England.
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Posted by Southernpride on Sep 01, 2010, 04:47 PM EDT
Adams and McGuinness are doing a great job of carrying out British rule in Northern Ireland and getting paid fot it. Well done, Tony Blair for using the two fools
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Posted by shidoobe on Sep 01, 2010, 04:06 PM EDT
ALL POLITICIANS LIE, this is news?
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Posted by JamesMurphy on Sep 01, 2010, 01:29 PM EDT
Pass the smelling salts before I faint--Blair lied?! Of course, he did, jut as he did while acting as Dubbya's poodle ala Iraq. As for achieving a united Ireland, that's one for the storybooks.
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Posted by hello123 on Sep 01, 2010, 01:29 PM EDT
Blair's comments about Martin McGuiness and Gerry Adams sums up my feelings about these two men. History will show them to be icons in the world of leadeship.
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Posted by killowen on Sep 01, 2010, 01:06 PM EDT
What was it all for - nothing. Ireland still unfree will be forever so, given the cunning that the Sasanach brings. Ireland United - we know the effects it would have on England, on the founding fathers, on the Masonic Orange Lodges and such worldwide connection across the breath of commonwealth. As like the Hammer and Sickle symbol the Brits use of the Harp quadrant representing Ireland would appear laughable were they unable to claim Northeastern Ireland as their own. Simple stuff eh! what? Gerry nor Martin understood the problem and we're left with the many gone and a "same as always," outcome. Brit's queenie is arriving next year and will be feted like Victoria was in Famine times. Hurrah. Twit Blair will have his coffers filled to overflowing. His involvement in the ME is another joke that will yield nada.
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Posted by irishfez on Sep 01, 2010, 11:27 AM EDT
I am so happy to read this. Great stuff
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Posted by ganjadec on Sep 01, 2010, 11:14 AM EDT
A great leader, and a good man. He did what he had to do.
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Posted by LizFlady on Sep 01, 2010, 10:58 AM EDT
It's silly. Name me one politician that doesn't lie and I'll show you a liar that bamboozeled you.
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Posted by CitizenWhy on Sep 01, 2010, 10:37 AM EDT
So now we know. Blair is a Muslim, using Taqqiya to advance peace. The crafty divil.
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Posted by Paradigm on Sep 01, 2010, 09:50 AM EDT
What a pity that, having 'got away' with bending the truth and signing up the Irish (North & South)to a potentially workable Belfast Agreement, Tony Blair ventured 'a bridge too far', Aided and abetted by slippery Hain and arrogant Woodward at St Andrews and Hillsborough; he cut out the decent Ulster Unionists and the SDLP - that 'bending' has, or will, ultimately break the hard-won accord - unless the present Government can retrieve the 1998 safeguards that the DUP were bribed to surrender.
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Posted by Ajreaper on Sep 01, 2010, 09:50 AM EDT
It seems hard to believe that the entire process could have fallen apart over a table- for a species that is so intelligent and has enormous capacity to achieve we still have a long ways to go.
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Posted by BallinaLass on Sep 01, 2010, 09:47 AM EDT
I admire Tony Blair too. Always felt he was a good man at heart, though I don't agree with some of his decisions. His friendship with President Bush is particularly baffling. Still, I think many Americans are grateful to Blair for his support after 9/11.
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Posted by semperfidelis on Sep 01, 2010, 09:15 AM EDT
My grandfather, God rest his soul, will turn over in his grave, but I admire Tony Blair; he made tough choices that in my opinion history will record as the right ones as regards the peace process and supporting us in the war against terriorism
 


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