David Trimble: Reaction to the death of former first minister

Lord Trimble, former first minister of Northern Ireland and Ulster Unionist Party leader, has died at the age of 77

Politicians and others have been paying tribute to the former Nobel Peace prize winner for his role in the Good Friday Agreement and beyond.

UUP leader Doug Beattie

Tonight's news will cause deep sadness throughout Northern Ireland and much further afield.  

David Trimble was a man of courage and vision. He chose to grasp the opportunity for peace when it presented itself and sought to end the decades of violence that blighted his beloved Northern Ireland.

He will forever be associated with the leadership he demonstrated in the negotiations that led up to the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

The bravery and courage he demonstrated whilst battling his recent illness was typical of the qualities he showed in his political career, at Stormont and at Westminster.  

He will be remembered as a first minister, as a Peer of the Realm and as a Nobel Prize Winner. He will also be remembered as a great unionist.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood

David Trimble's life has left an indelible mark on our shared island's story.

Over the course of his political career, but particularly in difficult years of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, he demonstrated immense courage and took political risks that sustained the life of our fledgling peace process.

He doesn't often enough get credit for it, but without David Trimble's fortitude, there would simply have been no agreement.

The image of David and Seamus Mallon walking through Poyntzpass together in 1998 to comfort the families of Damien Trainor and Philip Allen is an enduring icon of the peace process that inspired a whole generation of people who wanted, and needed, to believe that our shared future could be different from our divided past.

It is my enduring memory of his commitment to reconciliation.

My thoughts and prayers are with Daphne, Richard, Victoria, Nicholas and Sarah at this difficult time. I hope they are comforted by the immense legacy that David left to the people of Northern Ireland.

*The SDLP has announced it will postpone its assembly recall motion scheduled for Tuesday.

Former NI Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan

What I found in dealing with David Trimble, including when I served as deputy first minister alongside him in office, was the term doable counted a lot with him.

He would tell you things were out because they weren't doable, and then the calculus would change and he would decide things were doable and even though it was going to be risky and difficult, if it was doable, he was going to go for it.

Unless he as the leader of the main unionist parties was going to go for the [Good Friday] Agreement, even though it entailed risks for him, even though it had real challenges, unless he was going to go for the agreement, one, there wouldn't have been an agreement, and two, it certainly wouldn't have got endorsement at the referendum.

Former Taoiseach (Irish PM) Bertie Ahern

My sympathies to Daphne who I know very well and the children and to his friends.

He was courageous. I had many a row, many arguments and in more recent years we had good laughs about those debates.

As a good negotiator when he made a deal, when he settled something, he stuck by it.

He stuck by it subsequently and he paid a price, he lost his seat in Upper Bann, he got a lot of criticism from his wider unionist family.

He was a good guy and he stood firmly by what he believed in and I had a long chat with him just a few weeks ago in Queen's [University] and he knew what was coming.

He was brave in that, as he was in everything else.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair

"David Trimble, in his support of the peace process, showed politics at its very best. When some within his own ranks were opposed to the Belfast/Good Friday agreement, he supported it.

When we needed his willingness to go the extra mile for peace, he travelled that mile. When there was the prospect of collapse of the process without strong leadership, he provided that leadership.

"His contribution to Northern Ireland and to the United Kingdom was immense, unforgettable and frankly irreplaceable.

"Whatever disagreements we had - and there were quite a few - I never had anything other than profound respect for David as a person and as a Leader.

"My deepest condolences to Daphne and his family.

"We have lost today someone who will be mourned by friends and foes alike."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson

I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Lord Trimble earlier today.

He was a giant of British and international politics and will be long remembered for his intellect, personal bravery and fierce determination to change politics for the better.

A winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and a leading architect of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, he championed democracy over violence, and played a huge role in setting Northern Ireland on the path to peace.

My thoughts are with David's wife Daphne and their children at this difficult time. They should know that David's legacy and achievements will never be forgotten by the people of the United Kingdom.

Irish President Michael D Higgins

As President of Ireland, I wish to express my deep sadness at hearing the news of the passing of David Trimble, former First Minister of Northern Ireland and former Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

Sabina joins me in expressing our profound sympathy to Mrs Daphne Trimble and to all of David's family, friends and colleagues.

Lord Trimble will be remembered for a life of public service, and of course for his most significant contribution to the work for peace on our island.

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize, together with John Hume, following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement almost 25 years ago, was part of the recognition by so many of their work for peace.

David Trimble's dedication and courage, often during the most challenging times, has earned him a distinguished and deserved place in our history books.

His work leaves a true legacy on the necessity and value of peace on our shared island for future generations.

Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin

I wish to express my deepest condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of David Trimble.

He played a key role as leader of the UUP, and his was a long and distinguished career in unionist politics and in the politics of Northern Ireland.

All of us in politics at the time witnessed his crucial and courageous role in the negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement and his leadership in building support in his party and his community for the agreement.

Fittingly, his contribution was recognised internationally and most notably by the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to himself and John Hume "for their joint efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland".

As the first, first Minister of Northern Ireland, he began the arduous work of bedding down the executive and delivering for the people of Northern Ireland.

In his speech accepting the Nobel Prize, Trimble spoke about the "politicians of the possible", a phrase which I think sums up the David Trimble we all knew, and it speaks to his achievements over many decades, often in challenging circumstances.

The work of reconciliation begun in the Good Friday Agreement continues, and as new generations pick up the mantle of this work, it is fitting that we pay tribute to Lord Trimble for his central contribution in setting us on the path to peace and reconciliation.

Former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams

David faced huge challenges when he led the Ulster Unionist Party in the Good Friday Agreement negotiations and persuaded his party to sign on for it.

It is to his credit that he supported that agreement. I thank him for that.

In the years immediately following the agreement, I met David many times.

Our conversations were not always easy, but we made progress. We used to meet quite often on our own and I got to know him quite well.

While we held fundamentally different political opinions on the way forward nonetheless I believe he was committed to making the peace process work.

David's contribution to the Good Friday Agreement and to the quarter century of relative peace that followed cannot be underestimated.

I want to extend my sincerest condolences to Daphne Trimble, their daughters Victoria and Sarah, their sons Richard and Nicholas and to the entire family circle.

Sinn Féin's vice-President Michelle O'Neill

It is with genuine regret that I have learned of the passing of Former First Minister David Trimble.

I wish to offer my sincere condolences to his wife Daphne, their four children and the wider family circle who will feel his loss deeply.

His very significant contribution to the peace process and his courage in helping achieve the Good Friday Agreement leaves a legacy a quarter century on for which he and his family should be rightly proud.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

I am deeply saddened to learn of David's passing and my thoughts are foremost with Daphne and their children at this painful time of loss.

He made a huge contribution to Northern Ireland, and to political life in the United Kingdom.

Throughout some of the most difficult years of the Troubles, David was a committed and passionate advocate for the Union, at a time when doing so placed a considerable threat to his safety.

Whilst our political paths parted within the Ulster Unionist Party, there can be no doubting his bravery and determination in leadership at that time.

He was a committed and passionate unionist who always wanted the best for Northern Ireland.

Right until recent days David continued to use his political skill and intellect, most recently in support of the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union and in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

As a Nobel laureate, his words carried significant weight and he helped raise awareness of the threat the protocol posed to Northern Ireland, particularly amongst the wider UK audience.

He leaves a huge and lasting legacy to Northern Ireland. He can undoubtedly be said to have shaped history in our country.

Alliance leader Naomi Long

My thoughts are with the friends and family of Lord Trimble

My sympathies are also with his former colleagues in the UUP.

Lord Trimble's greatest legacy to his political career is the Good Friday Agreement and the risks he took to both help achieve it, and ensuring the resulting assembly remained during its unsteady early days.

It was at times an unenviable role.

TUV leader Jim Allister

I am greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Lord David Trimble and wish to express to Lady Trimble and the family sincere condolences.

Though politically we fundamentally disagreed over the Belfast Agreement, latterly as joint applicants in the Judicial Review challenge to the Protocol we shared a common determination to rid Northern Ireland of this iniquitous assault on our constitutional position.

David had a very clear and correct view of the dangers and unacceptability of the Protocol.

I have known David and Daphne Trimble since my university days when David was one of my lecturers and Daphne was a fellow student in my law year.

As a couple throughout their married life, Daphne gave exemplary support to David and in his declining health was a tower of strength to him. So, in losing David, Daphne has suffered a great loss and Northern Ireland has lost a foremost thinker within unionism.

Northern Ireland secretary Shailesh Vara

The loss of David Trimble will be felt deeply throughout Northern Ireland.

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

He will be remembered for his unshaking defence of peace, and his leadership in helping deliver the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer

David Trimble was a towering figure of Northern Ireland and British politics as one of the key authors of the Good Friday Agreement, the first First Minister and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

My thoughts are with Lady Trimble and their family.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss

Deeply saddened to hear of the death of former Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble.

David was a great figure, instrumental in delivering the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and the optimistic Northern Ireland of today.

My thoughts are with his family at this time.

Former chancellor Rishi Sunak

He [Trimble] was a giant of Unionism and he helped bring peace to Northern Ireland as an architect of the Good Friday Agreement, and he was a deserved winner of the Nobel Peace prize.

I'm sure everyone's thoughts will be with his family tonight.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar

David Trimble took enormous personal and political risks for peace. He put the future of Northern Ireland before his party's interests and sought to make Northern Ireland a warmer house for all who lived there.

He was not always right, but he worked to take violence out of politics to strengthen the centre ground. For that, he and John Hume jointly won the Nobel Prize. Rest in peace.

Former assembly speaker Lord John Alderdice

Deeply saddened at the death of Lord Trimble. Working together in the Talks, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the House of Lords, I saw him face testing times and profound challenges with great courage and integrity.

Present and future generations owe him more than they know.

The John and Pat Hume Foundation

The Hume Foundation is deeply saddened at the passing of Lord David Trimble.

David Trimble demonstrated genuine and courageous leadership during the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement 24 years ago.

Our sincere sympathies to all his family.

Archbishop Eamon Martin

Remembering David Trimble's wife and family in prayer. Whilst a strong representative of his party, he had courage to lead, and to persuade others to take historic steps forward for peace and reconciliation.

For this we owe him a sincere debt of gratitude.

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney

David Trimble showed leadership at a time when Northern Ireland so badly needed it.

All politicians from all traditions should be inspired by his courage.

My thoughts tonight are with his family, his wife Daphne, his UUP colleagues and unionist community.