Ian Paisley has argued the crisis-hit current Stormont regime is “building on substance”.

And the former First Minister revealed he and Martin McGuinness had “got on with what we could agree on”.

With the Executive now in paralysis for more than four months, the ex-DUP leader only said there are “some hiccups”.

A week ahead of his party’s annual conference, Mr Paisley also accepted that looking back, he would do a few things differently.

Interviewed by the latest edition of the Oldie magazine, the 82-year-old again refers to how he calls his wife, Barnoness Paisley, “mammy” and says: “Mammy is the ruler”.

The magazine has awarded Dr Paisley an Oldie of the Year accoldate and admits not all its readers agreed with the decision.

Questioned by Mary Kenny he claims the famous ‘Chuckle Brothers’ picture with the Deputy First Minister was doctored but is asked if got along with McGuinness personally.

“Oh yes. We disagreed,. We’re Ulstermen! There were things we didn’t agree on and we left them on the one side and got on with what we could agree on.”

The article then goes on: “Where the former attempts at power-sharing were ‘houses built on sand’ this one is building on substance.”

Mr Paisley also says his attitude to individual Roman Catholics “has always been respectful.”

Looking back, “I would do a few things differently, yes. But everybody has their own way of doing things. And I lived my live as I believed it.”

The veteran firebrand says republicans have fulfilled their promises in relation to acceptance of policing and the constitutional position.

“Some not very well. There are some hiccups. But I would not be a Christian if I did not take them at their word,” he added.