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David Trimble Biography

William David Trimble, Baron Trimble, PC (born 15 October 1944), is a British politician who was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002, and the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) from 1995 to 2005. He was also the Member of Parliament for Upper Bann from 1990 to 2005 and the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann from 1998 to 2007. In 2006, he was made a life peer in the House of Lords and a year later left the UUP to join the Conservative Party.

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David Trimble Quotes

As we take stock of this century of achievement, Ulster Unionists have every reason to feel proud.

Achievement, Proud, Stock, Ulster

The one thing I can assure you is that I'm not going to do a Prescott.

Assure, I Can, One Thing, Prescott, Thing

We had a completely deniable exchange of papers - in the winter before the 1997 election - with [Tony] Blair, setting out what we thought were the realistic parameters for a solution: and we were getting reasonable responses back from him. That's what led to Blair's visit to Belfast on May 16, 1997 - two weeks after he became Prime Minister and his first official visit outside London.

Completely, London, Parameters, Thought, Two, Winter

We had the IRA ceasefire in August 1994 and a lot of people assumed that a deal had been done - which wasn't right.

August, Ceasefire, Done, Ira, People

I had read an early profile of [Tony] Blair by Frank Millar in which he said that Blair was very keen on the 'consent principle'.

Blair, Consent, Keen, Principles, Profile, Tony

The decision to give an indicative date for a return is a mistake. It degrades the process. It degrades human life.

Date, Decision, Giving, Human, Mistake, Return

It seemed to me that John [Taylor] had a good chance of becoming leader: and I was fairly comfortable with that. I respected his judgment. And I also thought to myself that - because I was able to get on with him - I could become his Chief Whip.

Able, Becoming, Chance, Chief, Leader

In the future there cannot be room for ambiguity. They have to make their position absolutely clear before they can expect anyone to respond to it.

Ambiguity, Clear, Expect, Respond, Rooms

It wasn't too difficult to see that [Ian] Paisley would never do anything positive.

Difficult, Ian, Paisley, Positive, See

There are still substantial areas of disagreement,. . you simply have to look at the public statements to see there is a significant gap.

Gap, Gaps, Looks, Significant, Simply, Statements

There are two traditions in Northern Ireland. There are two main religious denominations. But there is only one true moral denomination. And it wants peace.

Denominations, Peace, Religious, Two

I knew what I had to do as party leader had to be sensible and relate to the real situation we were in, rather than a situation you would like to have.

Leader, Party, Real, Situation

During the 1996 Forum election my election agent, John Dobson, told me that at some stage down the line we were going to have to talk to the IRA and that I was the man to do it. And my reaction was not printable!

Agents, Ira, John, Men, Printable

I was organizing a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference in October 1994 and I got a message that the Prime Minister would like a meeting. I went to the meeting. It was just me and John Major. What Major said to me was this: "If you were in my shoes, what would you do?". He wasn't asking me what a unionist should do, but what he should do. And I knew that I had to give him a sensible answer.

Answer, Give, Giving, Meeting, Party, Shoes

The Republican movement have not behaved properly over the years. They have not themselves implemented the Agreement. If they had implemented the Agreement then they would have disarmed completely in May 2000, that is what they undertook to do, that is what they failed to do.

Agreement, Behaved, Failed, Movement, Republican, Years

There was a process in place at that time - the Downing Street Declaration of December 1993 - which set out the terms and conditions under which people who had been involved in paramilitary activity could come into the political process.

Downing Street, Involved, Paramilitary, People, Political, Under

Politics can be likened to driving at night over unfamiliar hills and mountains. Close attention must be paid to what the beam can reach and the next bend.

Attention, Beam, Mountain, Night, Paid

The dark shadow we seem to see in the distance is not really a mountain ahead, but the shadow of the mountain behind - a shadow from the past thrown forward into our future. It is a dark sludge of historical sectarianism. We can leave it behind us if we wish.

Dark, Distance, Past, Thrown, Wish