Editing Ian Paisley (section)

===Relationship with the nationalist SDLP===
From the 1960s, one of his main rivals was civil rights leader and co-founder of the nationalist [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] (SDLP), [[John Hume]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/12/ian-paisley-dies-aged-88-northern-ireland|title=Ian Paisley, the Dr No of Ulster politics, dies aged 88|first=Henry|last=McDonald|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=12 September 2014|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322014223/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/12/ian-paisley-dies-aged-88-northern-ireland|url-status=live}}</ref> British Government papers, released in 2002, show that in 1971 Paisley attempted to reach a compromise with the [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] (SDLP).<ref name=Deal >[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/uk_confidential/1717296.stm  "Ian Paisley sought 'deal' with SDLP"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116120820/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/uk_confidential/1717296.stm |date=16 November 2006 }}, BBC News, 1 January 2002.</ref> The attempt was made via then British Cabinet Secretary, [[Burke Trend|Sir Burke Trend]]. The papers show that Paisley had indicated he could "reach an accommodation with leaders of the Catholic minority, which would provide the basis of a new government in Stormont." It appears that the move was rejected once it became clear to the SDLP that it would have created a very one-sided alliance. Speaking about the deal in 2002 Paisley said: {{Cquote|The SDLP did not want to go along the road that we would have wanted them to go. I wouldn't say there were talks, there was an exchange of views between us, but it never got anywhere. We were prepared to try and seek a way whereby we could govern Northern Ireland and that people of both faiths could be happy with the way it was being governed, but it all rested on the key point – the person with power would be the person that the people gave the power.<ref name=Deal />}}

Promoting the DUP's manifesto at a launch event ahead of the [[1983 United Kingdom general election]] Paisley made clear that the core message of the party's campaign would be to "expose and oppose Provisional Sinn Fein and its fellow travellers, the SDLP." Responding to reporters, Paisley said:

{{Blockquote|[The SDLP] are going down the same united Ireland road as Sinn Fein, so they are fellow travellers. We will be taking on the Sinn Fein frontmen for the IRA and are determined to smash them at the polls.<ref>''Belfast News Letter'', 25 May 1983</ref>}}

Speaking at the launch of the DUP's policy proposals for devolved government for the [[Northern Ireland Assembly (1982)|briefly revived Northern Ireland Assembly]] in September 1984, Paisley echoed the document's position on power-sharing with the SDLP:

{{Blockquote|I am totally opposed to power-sharing because it is unworkable and destroys the very principle of my Unionism, which is that we are part of the UK and cannot in any way bring into government those who want to destroy Northern Ireland.<ref>''Belfast Telegraph'', 20 September 1984</ref>}}

In one interview during the referendum campaign following the signing of the 1998 [[Good Friday Agreement]], he declared that he
was 'opposed to power-sharing with nationalists because nationalists are only power-sharing to destroy Northern Ireland' clearly meaning the SDLP as well as Sinn Féin.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gordon|first=David|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UPr4AwAAQBAJ|title=The Fall of the House of Paisley, The Downfall of Ian Paisley's Political Dynasty
|date=June 30, 2009|publisher=Gill Books|isbn=9780717151585|language=en}}</ref>