What the papers say

Journalist Keith Baker takes a look at what is making the headlines in Monday's morning newspapers.

There is a lot of interest in a new book by journalist Ed Maloney called A Secret History of the IRA.

Both the News Letter and the Irish News make it the main story and focus their attention on the role of Gerry Adams during what the News Letter calls "one of the most ruthless periods of republican terrorist violence".

It also looks at the book's claims that talks involving the IRA and representatives of the Thatcher government took place as early as 1986.

The Irish News carries a denial by Mr Adams that he was aware of orders to murder Jean McConville, one of the so-called Disappeared, in 1972.

He also denies any involvement in the IRA.

There is what the paper calls a "furious denial" by Mrs McConville's daughter who is angry at the book's claim that her mother was killed "because she was an informer".

Mr Major is young and healthy enough to contribute to British political debate for probably the next two decades

The Independent

The Irish Times London editor Frank Millar says the book is a mixture of "serious analysis and Le Carre thriller" but it paints a picture of Gerry Adams as the "ruthless and unquestioned controller of the republican movement".

If you thought the fuss over John Major's affair with Edwina Currie might have died down, think again.

'Ambition'

The Mirror has an interview with Mr Major's sister. It carries her thoughts in the headline: "At least it wasn't Ann Widdecombe".

"Major fears Royal snub" is the Mail's line.

It says Mr Major believes the scandal has "wrecked his ambition to become a Knight of the Garter" which is the highest honour the Queen can bestow.

All other surviving former prime ministers are members of the Order and the paper says he is "desperate" to join Sir Edward Heath, Lord Callaghan and Baroness Thatcher.

The Express and the Star have fresh allegations and the headline: "He tried it on with us too".

The Express says former Tory MP Baroness Nicholson was once bombarded with compliments about her perfume before storming out of Mr Major's office in disgust.

It says Teresa Gorman was stunned when a meeting about Maastricht ended with him "taking her hand and stroking it gently".

Ann Leslie in the Mail writes about attending one of Jeffrey Archer's famous champagne and shepherd's pie parties and finding an "octopus arm sneaking round her waist and someone kissing her ear".

To her surprise, she says, she discovered it was the prime minister. She thought at first that it might be Robin Day.

'Bile'

As for Edwina Currie, Bruce Anderson in the Independent says her book will not do any lasting harm to Mr Major's reputation.

He says Mr Major is young and healthy enough to contribute to British political debate for probably the next two decades.

Long before that, he says, Edwina Currie will have been forgotten and "left to wallow in bile and bitterness".

The Irish News marks an anniversary. It is a year since the journalist Martin O'Hagan was killed.

The paper has an interview with his widow and in an editorial it says all too often the victims of attacks like this are quickly forgotten.

"They become statistics rather than fathers, mothers, brothers or sisters who were deeply loved and are missed beyond telling by their heartbroken families", it says.