Former Democratic Unionist Party leader Dr Ian Paisley has died, his wife Eileen said today.

Dr Paisley was a firebrand fundamentalist Protestant preacher and politician who led opposition to compromise with republicans for decades in the North.

He later entered government with Sinn Féin at Stormont as first minister following a landmark deal.

He was aged 88 when he died, and had been ill for some time.

Eileen Paisley said in a statement: “My beloved husband, Ian, entered his eternal rest this morning.

“Although ours is the grand hope of reunion, naturally as a family we are heartbroken.

“We loved him and he adored us, and our earthly lives are forever changed.

“According to Ian’s wishes his funeral will be private and attended only by the immediate family, as will be his burial.

“As a family we appreciate that there will be an expectation by those who admired him to express their gratitude for his life and their sorrow at his passing.

“To that end we will in due course publish details of a public memorial service which, will be scheduled later in the year.

“There will be no further comment or statements made by me or the family at this time.”

Dr Paisley led opposition to any accommodation with republicans for decades and his fiery rhetoric was legendary.

He was elected to Westminster in 1970 as the Unionist MP for North Antrim. A year later he founded the Democratic Unionist Party which he led until 2008.

As charismatic leader of the DUP, he opposed successive political deals.

In 1979, he was elected to the European Parliament, where his views on the Catholic Church caused controversy - most notably when he denounced Pope John Paul II as the “anti-Christ” during a visit to the parliament in 1988.

He played a key role in orchestrating the Ulster Workers’ Council Strike which brought the North to a standstill in 1973 and was vehemently opposed to the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement and accused the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of a betrayal of unionists after she signed the deal which gave the Irish Government an advisory role in the North.

He eventually agreed to powersharing with Sinn Féin in 2007 following that party’s acceptance of the new police force.