The Five Demands

L’altra faccia della medaglia del sexy scandalo in casa Robinson

Non solo malignità sono scaturite dallo ‘tsunami’ scandalistico che ha travolto la figura di Peter Robinson, tanto dal portarlo alla decisione di auto sospendersi dalla carica di Primo Ministro dell’Irlanda del Nord.
Il leader del DUP ha parlato del gesto di Martin McGuinness, vice primo ministro, che ha voluto tendergli la mano nel momento del bisogno. “Ho pensato che sarebbe sbagliato in queste circostanze, fare qualcosa di diverso da quello (stringergli la mano).”
Il gesto profondamente simbolico tra il leader del movimento unionista in Irlanda del Nord e l’ex comandante dell’IRA sarebbe stato impensabile solo fino a pochi anni fa.

Robinson’s plight prompts handshake
The revelations about Peter Robinson’s wife Iris have indirectly led to a political first for a Democratic Unionist leader – a handshake with Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness.
The troubled politician revealed that the republican Deputy First Minister offered out his hand to commiserate with him over his personal troubles.
“He expressed sympathy to me and put out his hand,” Mr Robinson said of the private exchange.
“I thought it would be wrong of me in those circumstances to do anything other than that (shake it).”
Mr Robinson has temporarily stepped down as First Minister to deal with the fall-out from revelations that destroyed his wife’s political career and threatens his.
He is facing a series of official probes after claims he did not alert the authorities to Mrs Robinson’s failure to declare £50,000 she obtained from two wealthy developers to set her teenage lover up in business – allegations he vehemently denies.
News of the hand shake comes as the DUP and Sinn Fein remain locked in intensive negotiations aimed at securing a breakthrough in the long running row over devolving policing powers to Stormont.
The deeply symbolic moment between the effective head of unionism in Northern Ireland and a self-confessed former IRA commander would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
Mr Robinson’s account of the pair’s exchanges after the claims about his wife emerged hints at a much warmer relationship than the one often portrayed in public. “(McGuiness) very kindly sent me text messages, then voice mail messages and spoke to me privately about the issues,” he told the Sunday Times.
Both main parties in the powersharing administration are taking a break from the marathon devolution talks. They will resume at Stormont Castle on Monday amid mounting speculation a deal could be imminent.