'The Government met the IRA because it needed to understand them... the DUP meeting loyalists is more like a family'

A big lie that prevailed through much of the Troubles period was that the British Government did not - and would not - talk to terrorists. In fact, Edward Heath's Government negotiated the first IRA ceasefire in June 1972. The British offered a meeting between the Secretary of State, William Whitelaw, and the IRA leadership.