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Martin McGuinness planned to ‘dummy handshake, then smooth back hair’

Irish News: Deputy first minister of Northern Ireland and former IRA commander Martin McGuinness was secretly planning not to shake the Queen’s hand in public, it has emerged.

Leaked texts between McGuinness and other top republicans, including Gerry Adams, show that right up to last night he was still considering whether or not to use the historic occasion to wrong-foot his old enemy by giving her a dummy handshake and then smoothing back his hair.

‘I do think it would be inappropriate to say ‘too slow’ at that juncture’, comments Adams during a debate between the two men about whether McGuinness should smooth back his hair after the faked handshake, or just blow a raspberry with his thumb on his nose.

‘What about a protracted ‘oooooooh’?’ replies McGuinness.

‘I still think that would be inappropriate’ says Adams, ‘and undignified. What’s important is to maintain the hand out for as long as possible then whip it away at very last moment’.

‘What about pointing at her broach, saying ‘what’s that?’ then flicking her chin when she looks down?’

‘I will refer that motion to the committee’ says Adams before McGuinness continues with ‘what about a flower that squirts water’ – Adams then declines to reply.

Story: Jasper Gibson