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Peter Robinson: You’re on your own now and it’s going to be a difficult journey
Thursday, 7 January 2010
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There can be no doubt that the formidable Peter and Iris Robinson double act is finished in political terms.
Behind closed doors they can work together on trying to save their marriage. And Mrs Robinson can also concentrate on getting better, away from the pressures of life as an MP and MLA.
In the public sphere, however, Mr Robinson is on his own now and questions will be raised over how successful this solo career can be.
There are some important factors in his favour.
For a start, there will be heartfelt sympathy for his plight — both inside and outside the DUP.
There is also no doubt that without him at the helm of the party, the already shaky power-sharing coalition would be in much more serious trouble.
It was no surprise that Secretary of State Shaun Woodward was among the first to publicly declare his support yesterday.
When David Trimble was under pressure as UUP leader, with unionist support for the Belfast Agreement waning, there was talk of a “Save Dave” campaign in London and Dublin.
There may now be a similar “Keep Pete” strategy.
Mr Robinson's fate may partly depend on how the revelations play in the DUP's traditional ‘Bible belt’ heartland.
His party was viewed for many years as the political wing of the Free Presbyterian Church.
While it has moved beyond that base over the years, it still cannot afford to ignore it, particularly with a General Election looming.
The First Minister is not a Free Presbyterian and there was some talk in 2008 of the party moving in a more “secular” direction under his leadership.
Mrs Robinson undermined that theory with her outbursts against homosexuality, just as her husband was starting out as First Minister.
Her mini-moralising crusade around this time included the comment: “The Government has a responsibility to uphold God’s laws morally.”
She also wrote in an article: “We must begin to repair the damage from the folly of previous liberal thinking. The Government must stop making contradictory laws and policies. They bemoan rising levels of sexual infections and teen pregnancy, yet focus on the aftermath and emergency contraception rather than placing the emphasis on prevention.”
Sympathy for Mrs Robinson may be tempered in some quarters by recollections of her strident rhetoric in the past.
She has even denounced Hillary Clinton for accepting her husband's infidelities, saying: “No woman would put up with what she tolerated from her husband when he was President.
“She was thinking only of her future political career. It's all about power and not principle.”
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