18th October 2002

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Lying and dissimulation are essential skills in a politician’s toolkit, according to University of Ulster researcher Dr Paul Dixon - but when they backfire the consequences can be explosive.

In an analysis of the peace process, published in the Journal of Political Studies, Dr Dixon highlights how the skills employed to save the peace process have created a culture of public scepticism and distrust:

“At crucial times throughout the Northern Ireland peace process, politicians have manipulated public opinion, trying to lead it towards an accommodation while at the same time maintaining their political popularity.

“The fact that politicians are saying one thing in public but doing another in private, has become more apparent in the latter part of the peace process, particularly since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

“Little attempt has been made to persuade important sections of the population to support the peace process, instead they have been manipulated and deceived. The result is that the standing of key pro-Agreement politicians amongst their own electorate has been eroded as this manipulation has been exposed. This means the Agreement hangs in the balance of a still polarised population.

“The manipulation has become counterproductive to the peace process because the public is no longer able to make the distinction between truth and lies, leading to a collapse of public confidence in politics, politicians and the peace process.”

Dr Dixon goes on to discuss what he calls the “theatrical politics” of Northern Ireland: “Gerry Adams criticises ‘political theatre’, Ian Paisley talks of ‘smoke and mirrors’, Mark Durkan of the ‘script for whatever we do after this’. British and Irish governments of choreography.

“There is a growing suspicion among journalists and politicians that the real story of the peace process is not the familiar pantomime played out front stage, the real story is going on behind the scenes. Telling truth from lies becomes increasingly difficult in this world of stage-management, spin and illusion. The audience, particularly unionist sections but also dissident republicans, are getting increasingly disillusioned with the charade that is being acted out in front of them.”

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