Gordon Brown had extensive dealings with the main Stormont parties throughout his term of office as the UK's prime minister between 2007 and 2010.
His new autobiography, as we report today, offers a cool assessment of the DUP's performance during that period and notes that Peter Robinson - unlike his predecessor as first minister, Ian Paisley - `rarely' spoke to deputy first minister Martin McGuinness.
Mr Brown is plainly as unimpressed with the present deal between Theresa May and the DUP as he was with the previous arrangement involving David Cameron and the Ulster Unionists seven years ago.
His views will be widely shared, and there can be little doubt that the prospects of agreement on restoring our devolved structures would be greatly enhanced if the British government was once again in a position to present itself as a neutral facilitator in the negotiations.
