Editing Ian Paisley (section)

===2000s: compromise and power===
[[File:W. Bush and Martin McGuinness.jpg|thumb|right|Paisley, [[George W. Bush]] and [[Martin McGuinness]] in December 2007]]
[[File:Scottish and Northern Ireland Ministers.jpg|thumb|right|McGuinness, Paisley and Scottish First Minister [[Alex Salmond]] in 2008]]

At the age of 78, Paisley retired from his European Parliament seat at the [[2004 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2004 elections]] and was succeeded by [[Jim Allister]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8044057.stm Who is Jim Allister?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120411173654/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8044057.stm |date=11 April 2012 }} BBC News, 8 June 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2012</ref> In September 2004, he agreed to meet Taoiseach [[Bertie Ahern]], in his political capacity as leader of the DUP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/docs/dup/ip300904.htm|title=CAIN: Issues: Politics: Ian Paisley, Statement, Dublin, 30 September 2004|access-date=14 September 2014|archive-date=15 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915030206/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/docs/dup/ip300904.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> At an early meeting with Ahern at the Irish embassy in London, he requested breakfast and asked for boiled eggs; when Ahern asked him why he had wanted boiled eggs, he quipped "it would be hard for you to poison them".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?printerFriendly=true&ArtKey=ballymena|title=EIPS – Dr Paisley Given The Freedom of Ballymena|publisher=Ianpaisley.org|access-date=16 June 2010|archive-date=18 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418143500/http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?printerFriendly=true&ArtKey=ballymena|url-status=live}}</ref> Following rumours and a marked change in his appearance, it was confirmed in July 2004 that Paisley had been undergoing tests for an undisclosed illness, and in 2005 [[Ian Paisley Jr.]] confirmed that his father had been gravely ill. Paisley himself later said that he had "walked in death's shadow."<ref name="bbc_profile_2007">[[Martina Purdy]], [[BBC News]], 1 February 2007, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6289827.stm Profile: Ian Paisley] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430022756/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6289827.stm |date=30 April 2009 }}</ref>

Paisley again retained his [[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|North Antrim]] seat in the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 UK general election]]. In 2005, he was made a [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Counsellor]], an appointment traditionally bestowed upon leaders of political parties in the British Parliament.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4363746.stm "DUP leader to join privy council"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051112051401/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4363746.stm |date=12 November 2005 }}, BBC News, 21 October 2005.</ref> In the October 2006 [[St Andrews Agreement]], Paisley and the DUP agreed to new elections, and support for a new executive including Sinn Féin subject to Sinn Féin acceptance of the [[Police Service of Northern Ireland]], the successor to the [[Royal Ulster Constabulary]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/oct/17/northernireland.devolution1 What is the St Andrews agreement?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510144603/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/oct/17/northernireland.devolution1 |date=10 May 2017 }}, The Guardian 17 October 2006</ref> This reversed half a century of opposition to Sinn Féin, such as his comments four months previously on [[The Twelfth|12 July]] in [[Portrush]], following Orange Order parades, when he said, "<nowiki>[Sinn Fein]</nowiki> are not fit to be in partnership with decent people. They are not fit to be in the government of Northern Ireland and it will be over our dead bodies if they ever get there."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5174000.stm "Belfast march passes peacefully"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908023531/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5174000.stm |date=8 September 2017 }}, BBC News, 12 July 2006.</ref> Sinn Féin subsequently endorsed the PSNI, and in the [[2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election|subsequent election]] Paisley and the DUP received an increased share of the vote and increased their assembly seats from 30 to 36.<ref>[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fa07.htm Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201224043/http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fa07.htm |date=1 December 2011 }}, ARK. Retrieved 11 February 2012</ref> On Monday 26 March 2007, the date of the British Government deadline for devolution or dissolution, Paisley led a DUP delegation to a meeting with a Sinn Féin delegation led by [[Gerry Adams]], which agreed on a DUP proposal that the executive would be established on 8 May.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6494599.stm NI deal struck in historic talks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409111724/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6494599.stm |date=9 April 2020 }}, BBC News, 26 March 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2012</ref>

On 8 May 2007 power was devolved, the Assembly met, and Paisley and Sinn Féin's [[Martin McGuinness]] were elected [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]].

Speaking at Stormont to an invited international audience he said, "Today at long last we are starting upon the road—I emphasise starting—which I believe will take us to lasting peace in our province."<ref name="BBC2">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6636139.stm "Ian Paisley's speech in full"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070915233923/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6636139.stm |date=15 September 2007 }}, BBC News, 8 May 2007.</ref> Paisley and McGuinness subsequently established a good working relationship and were dubbed the "Chuckle Brothers" by the Northern Irish media.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6948406.stm "'Chuckle brothers' enjoy 100 days"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121043537/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6948406.stm |date=21 January 2008 }}, BBC News, 15 August 2007.</ref> In September 2007, he confirmed that he would contest North Antrim at the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] as well as serving the full four years as First Minister, stating "I might as well make hay while the sun shines."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=85024&pt=n |title=Paisley to stand again for election |publisher=UTV |access-date=19 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015233320/http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=85024&pt=n |archive-date=15 October 2007 }}</ref>

In 2007, Paisley was named as "Opposition Parliamentarian of the Year" in [[The House Magazine]] Parliamentary Awards<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6906105.stm |title=BBC Coverage of Paisley winning 'Opposition Parliamentarian of the Year' |work=BBC News |date=19 July 2007 |access-date=7 August 2013 |archive-date=8 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908013341/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6906105.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> and by ''[[The Spectator]]'' as "Marathon Man of the Year."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2007/11/the-winners/|title=The Winners|work=[[The Spectator]]|date=15 November 2007|access-date=25 November 2014|archive-date=24 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224144012/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2007/11/the-winners/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following his January 2008 retirement as leader of the Free Presbyterian Church and pressure from party insiders, on 4 March 2008, Paisley announced that he would stand down as DUP leader and First Minister of Northern Ireland in May 2008.<ref name="BBC-quit" /> On 17 April, Peter Robinson was elected unopposed as leader of the DUP<ref name="BBC-Robinson-leader" >{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7353569.stm|title=Robinson confirmed as DUP leader|date=17 April 2008|work=BBC News|access-date=17 April 2008|archive-date=21 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421144245/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7353569.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and succeeded Paisley as First Minister at a special sitting of the assembly on 5 June 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=Robinson is new NI first minister|work=BBC News|date=5 June 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7438306.stm|access-date=23 May 2009|archive-date=7 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107032131/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7438306.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> On 2 March 2010, it was announced that Paisley would step down as a Member of Parliament at that year's general election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7046340.ece|title=Ian Paisley to step down from North Antrim seat after 40 years as MP|date=2 March 2010|access-date=2 March 2010|location=London|first=David|last=Sharrock|work=The Times|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922232400/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/|url-status=dead}}</ref> His son Ian Paisley Jr. was elected to succeed him in the seat at the general election on 6 May 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/northern_ireland/8649051.stm|title=Antrim North: Paisley Jnr sees off Jim Allister|date=7 May 2010|work=2010 Election|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 January 2012|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922232400/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/northern_ireland/8649051.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 18 June 2010, Paisley was created a [[life peer]] as '''''Baron Bannside''', of North Antrim in the County of Antrim'', and he was introduced in the [[House of Lords]] on 5 July 2010.<ref name="Gazette"/><ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/minutes/100622/ldordpap.htm House of Lords Business, 22 June 2010] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418175526/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/minutes/100622/ldordpap.htm |date=18 April 2021 }} <!-- Holding ref. More precise refs will be provided as they become available. --></ref> [[Bannside (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)|Bannside]] was the [[Northern Ireland Parliament constituencies|Northern Ireland Parliament constituency]] Paisley had won in 1970; he opted not to take the title of "Lord Paisley" as his wife was already in the House as [[Eileen Paisley, Baroness Paisley of St George's|Baroness Paisley]] and he said that it would have implied she was "sitting not in her own right but as my wife".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/paisley-to-be-called-lord-bannside-1-1848617|title=Paisley to be called Lord Bannside|access-date=17 April 2017|archive-date=18 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418082849/http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/paisley-to-be-called-lord-bannside-1-1848617|url-status=live}}</ref>