“Although you may be First Minister you are still a constituency member and you still have to work to improve the lives of people here. We’ve done a lot of work to improve the economic growth, improving job prospects and higher value jobs in Northern Ireland. But one area I’m keen to improve on — we need to do a lot of work — [is] grassroots level to build up from the base as well as to ensure we need to improve the lives of everyone in society and not just the middle classes,” he said.

East Belfast isn’t only where the 59-year-old new DUP leader was born and bred but it is his political home, where he learned his craft. And any politician, who doesn’t keep the constituents happy, will do so at their peril, he says.

“At the end of the day that [the constituents] is your core. I think east Belfast has done very well out of devolution in terms of jobs that have been coming in — east Belfast has done well out of that. There have been some very significant projects in east Belfast in the last number of years,” he said.

Meeting an American President, making policy decisions for the country and dealing with the latest Assembly crisis, is a far cry for the Castlereagh College student who manned barricades in Lisnasharragh during the start of the Troubles in the late ‘70s.

“Those were the days when the IRA was either going out and leaving a bomb under someone’s car or shooting policemen and others. Those were the days when most of the residents – the men folk – would close off the streets in the evening and man the barricades in the evening to give some protection to the people who lived there. I, like many others were part of that.

“The UDA largely came out of what can be described as vigilante organisations where people were protecting their estate as I was. I know some of the people who were doing the same kind of local protection of their estate I was doing were part of the organisation which formed itself into the UDA — many of the young people who would have been put on the streets with me.

“I don’t want to identify them, but some of them I know have ended up in prison,” he said.

So, why choose politics?

“I think I knew where both roads were heading and the only way to resolve our problems was through the political process. To strengthen the role of the security forces to deal with the insurrection. That was the route that I took."

Ever tempted to follow the paramilitary route?

“If your area is under attack you are entitled to defend it. That is what people did of the area I was a part of. You are talking about professional business people; we are talking about those in the security forces; everybody played their part in safeguarding the lives of people. The police could never have covered every street in every estate,” he said.

As to the issues facing the east Belfast community, the veteran politician chooses his words carefully. Addressing the expansion of George Best City Airport Mr Robinson concedes a balance must be struck between the residents living near the airport and the employment it brings to the area.

“Belfast City Airport provides employment for a large number of local people. It’s a significant part of our overall economy, but to continue to expand the airport when the airport itself is so close to residential properties, puts a burden on a local community which has to be limited and cannot be allowed to proceed on demand,” he said.

“I think if any of us were living on the edge of the airport we would feel we were entitled to some protection. It’s vital we have a proper balance to ensure, that while none of us want to inhibit business none of us want to be lining up to take away the peace people are allowed to enjoy in their own homes. That will be the struggle.”

However, although sympathetic to residents living in the shadow of the airport hub, the East Belfast MP is steadfast in his support of the proposed rapid transport system running along Comber Greenway.

“The type of public transport we are talking about is an assistance to the environment,” he added.

“The E-Way proposal is widely supported. Of course there are people who have enjoyed either walking or cycling along the Comber Greenway, that will not be taken away from them. But I think it would be selfish to assume that what was published as the route for the E-Way and which the department allowed cyclists and ramblers to use they should say, ‘well now that we have it we are not going to allow the rapid transport scheme to be on the site’.

“I think there is room for everybody,” he said.