John UK wrote:
Mr Paisley spoke to the Belfast Telegraph in August about responsibility for the money being passed to Westminster. "I never signed it," he said. "They had to change it. Our hands were absolutely clean. It had nothing to with us," he stated.
Mr Paisley also made a statement on the subject to his Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian church congregation in January this year. He said he had been told as First Minister that he had to hand over the remainder of the money agreed by Mr Hain. "Says I they are not getting one ha'ppeny from me," the church heard. "The civil servants said you need to sign there. Says I: no signature, take it away, don't come back to me." Mr Paisley continued: "They took the paper to Westminster and signed it at Westminster and they gave them the money they had promised, but I never gave them a penny, not a penny."
He also said: "They told me that if I didn't do it I would be put in prison. Says I: roll on the prison, I've been there before." IRP is the only gospel minister I know who has been to prison for his convictions.