Northern Ireland election

A cordial relationship

• Mark Devenport
• 27 Apr 07, 10:58 PM

You might have thought the appearance in court on serious charges of the brother in law of our Deputy First Minister in waiting would have sparked a full blown political crisis. But on the very same day Martin McGuinness’s brother in law Marvin Canning faced seven charges linked to the cross border kidnapping and assault of a man and a woman, my spies tell me Messrs McGuinness and Paisley were holding what some described as pleasant, cordial and businesslike meetings at Stormont with other politicians.

In a conversation with the new chair and vice chair of the Committee of the Centre, the Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy and Alliance’s Naomi Long, there did not appear to be any evident tension between the First and Deputy First Minister in waiting. Indeed Ian Paisley talked about what “we” intend to do, apparently acknowledging the joint nature of their office.

Martin McGuinness had by this stage already made clear his unequivocal condemnation of the abduction and assault. He also said whoever was responsible should be made accountable through the courts. Marvin Canning has denied any connection with the alleged offences during police interviews.

While Messrs McGuinness and Paisley await the official birth of the new Executive, Scotland and Wales are about to elect their devolved governments. I’ve just been talking to the DUP’s Gregory Campbell and Sinn Fein’s Daithi McKay for an Inside Politics programme which looks at the potential implications for Northern Ireland if the SNP makes headway in its quest for independence. You can hear that discussion on Inside Politics on Saturday on Radio Ulster at a quarter to one, and I’ve written an accompanying article summarising the politicians' contrasting viewpoints. It should be published on the main website over the weekend.