Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary, yesterday issued a rare endorsement by a UK minister of a White House candidate, praising Hillary Clinton and stating that it would “be fantastic to have a woman president”.
Mr Hain was visiting Washington to ask for President George W Bush’s administration help in persuading Ian Paisley, the Democratic Unionist Party leader, to sit in government with Sinn Fein next month.
But he took time out to express his support for Democrats.