Previously unheard interview with late PUP leader David Ervine discovered

A previously unheard interview with the late Progressive Unionist Leader, David Ervine, has cast new insight into his political thinking and belief that the DUP would one day share government with Sinn Féin.

From bomber to peacemaker, David Ervine was regarded as a politician who was ahead of his time.

His death 11 years ago at the age of 53, robbed Northern Ireland of one of its most influential and articulate assembly members.

Now extracts from a never-before-heard interview prove just how forward-thinking he was.

The lost dictaphone recording discovered during a house move, has now been professionally remastered for broadcast.

Blogger Barbara Whearty interviewed David as a university student for her dissertation not long before his untimely death.

“His frustrations very much come through, but nothing that he says about the DUP in this interview has not come to pass,” she says.

The long-forgotten dictaphone recording rediscovered during a house move has been digitally enhanced and remastered.

“It’s sad to me how right he was and it just made me feel the loss of his wisdom and his common sense in our society all the more.”

Ms Whearty has been in touch with Mr Ervine’s widow Jeanette and believes his comments should to be broadcast to a wider audience.

“I feel that David’s words have great import today on society and I would hope that by putting them out there and sharing them with everybody that it may ignite perhaps a new conversation within unionism about what leadership is and what they really want for the future of the community as a whole.”

She is determined the views she recorded are not lost to future generations.