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I have no major regrets - Paisley I did 'smash' Sinn Fein - Paisley
(about 2 hours later)
Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley has been explaining his decision to step down from the post. Outgoing Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley claims he did achieve his pledge to "smash" his republican rivals Sinn Fein.
In an interview for the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the 81-year-old said he was no longer a young man and his ambition now was to write a book about himself. Speaking on the BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, he said Sinn Fein can no longer be "true republicans" because they were "in part of the British government".
He said he had no "major regrets" and had never shaken hands with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness because it would have been a "farce". He said he had a "very good" working relationship with one-time enemy Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
He said he and Mr McGuinness had had a very good working relationship. Mr Paisley, 81, also said he was planning to write a book about himself.
'Full marks' 'New generation'
With his trademark honesty, he told Andrew Marr he was a "sinner, saved by the grace of God". He told Andrew Marr he was standing down because he was no longer a young man.
Denying his departure was the result of a coup within his Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), he said it was time for the "new generation".
"There's a new thinking in Ulster today. There's a generation who have not known the Troubles," he said.
He (Martin McGuinness) knows I'll not be shaking hands with him and that's it Ian Paisley
"After all, that's the sort of country they want to live in and they should be given the opportunity to help mould that country."
Mr Paisley announced last Tuesday that he would stand down as first minister and leader of the DUP in May.
In addition to looking forward during the interview, he also looked back over his career as a politician and contemplated his legacy.
'A helper'
He told the BBC he had "no major regrets" and that he was a "sinner, saved by the grace of God".
"I have my faults, which are many, which I lament. I want to do the best for my country," he said."I have my faults, which are many, which I lament. I want to do the best for my country," he said.
"And I want to say that I believe that when I helped to get a settlement for the Northern Ireland situation, I was only a helper. I mean I don't deserve all the praise"."And I want to say that I believe that when I helped to get a settlement for the Northern Ireland situation, I was only a helper. I mean I don't deserve all the praise".
Mr Paisley announced last Tuesday that he would stand down as first minister and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in May. He has the DUP leader for almost 40 years. He said he had a "very good" relationship with Martin McGuinness
He knows I'll not be shaking hands with him and that's it Ian Paisley Andrew Marr asked Mr Paisley how he could reconcile working with Sinn Fein, the party he wanted to "smash".
He went on to tell the BBC that he and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness enjoyed a "very good" working relationship. "I did smash them because I took away their main plank," he said.
"And I think that when you look back at what we have achieved and what we're doing, I think you have to give us full marks," he said. "For their main plank was that they wouldn't recognise the British government. Now, they're in part of the British government."
"And I don't think that the present agreement has to do with the personalities of the leaders. I think it's to do with the fact that this is the only way we can go. And if we don't go this way others will take it out of our hands and they'll go whatever way they want." Since the power sharing agreement in 2007, the relationship between Mr Paisley and Mr McGuinness had seemed to warm to such an extent that the pair had been nicknamed the "chuckle brothers".
Mr Paisley said he had a "very good" relationship with Mr McGuinness But Mr Paisley said there still were "big differences" between him and his deputy first minister.
Their relationship has seemed to thaw to such an extent that the pair had been nicknamed "chuckle brothers". But he still has not shaken hands with his deputy and said he will never do so. "I'm a unionist, he's a republican," he said. "That's a fact of life but because of the so-called democratic system we have here, we both have to work together."
When pressed if he liked Mr McGuinness as a man, he said: "My father used to say you have to work with the timber that's sent even though there's many knots in it."
'Farce'
But despite their "very good" working relationship, Mr Paisley said he will never shake hands with the deputy first minister.
"I made it clear to him that handshaking was a bit of a farce in this country," he said."I made it clear to him that handshaking was a bit of a farce in this country," he said.
When you look back at what we have achieved and what we're doing, I think you have to give us full marks Ian Paisley
"I've seen all the leaders shaking hands. And then going out to drive a bayonet into the back of the person they've shaken hands with. He knows I'll not be shaking hands with him and that's it.""I've seen all the leaders shaking hands. And then going out to drive a bayonet into the back of the person they've shaken hands with. He knows I'll not be shaking hands with him and that's it."
Andrew Marr also asked Mr Paisley how he could reconcile working Sinn Fein, the party he wanted to "smash". Mr Paisley said they deserved "full marks" for their achievements.
"I did smash them because I took away their main plank," he said. "I think that when you look back at what we have achieved and what we're doing, I think you have to give us full marks," he said.
"For their main plank was that they wouldn't recognise the British Government. Now, they're in part of the British Government." "I don't think that the present agreement has to do with the personalities of the leaders.
Mr Paisley added now that Sinn Fein had accepted "the right of Britain to govern this country", they cannot be "true Republicans". "I think it's to do with the fact that this is the only way we can go. And if we don't go this way others will take it out of our hands and they'll go whatever way they want."
He became first minister in May 2007 following the suspension of direct rule after five years.
There has been much speculation as to whether he was pushed into resigning.