ReutersDUP MP Sammy Wilson admitted to attending secret meetings with Sinn Féin, contradicting the party’s previous stance. These meetings occurred during a period when negotiations with Sinn Féin were officially against DUP policy. Wilson claims the meetings weren’t negotiations, but rather exploratory discussions aimed at gauging Sinn Féin’s willingness to reach an agreement.
Revelations about these meetings were published in a recent book by Rev Harold Good, a former Methodist Church president. Good stated that meetings took place in his home, attended by Martin McGuinness, Jeffrey Donaldson, and Sammy Wilson.
Wilson maintains that his participation in these meetings wasn’t a breach of DUP policy, stating: “I think that anybody who has observed negotiations, not just in Northern Ireland over the years, but it’s always clear that before you come to final part in negotiations both sides try to find out what are the limits, what are the things that people are prepared to accept, what are they prepared to do.”
