The DUP launched its Assembly election campaign yesterday with concerted attacks on the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, and republicans, and with assertions that the Belfast Agreement will be renegotiated after polling day on November 26th.
The DUP is contesting all 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland and its 40 candidates gathered in south Belfast yesterday as its leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, and his deputy, Mr Peter Robinson, predicted great successes for the party.
"At long last it is in the hands of the unionists of Ulster to sweep IRA/Sinn Féin armed terrorists from the government of Northern Ireland and to keep them out," Dr Paisley told fellow candidates and supporters in the Ramada Hotel. "In the election, only a vote for the DUP can stop the nightmare of David Trimble partnering Gerry Adams in the governing of Ulster," he added.
The DUP won 20 seats in the 1998 Assembly poll but believes that such is unionist disaffection with the political process that this time it can win more seats than the UUP which won 28 seats.
Dr Paisley indicated that short of IRA disarmament and "repentance" for past deeds, the party would never engage in dialogue with Sinn Féin.
"We will not have armed IRA/Sinn Féin in the government of Northern Ireland," Dr Paisley insisted. He castigated the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, for "honouring" republican "swine" when he last week confirmed elections.
He was equally trenchant in his denunciation of Mr Trimble.
"Supporting Mr Trimble is to ride the roller-coaster towards complete Dublin dictatorship and the reign of the IRA over Northern Ireland. The result of voting for Mr Trimble and his cohorts is to put the IRA permanently into the government of Northern Ireland."
Mr Robinson said Northern Ireland stood at a "defining moment" in its history when "in the most crucial campaign in the chronicles of unionism", the DUP was on the "verge of what can be a momentous breakthrough".
Mr Robinson said the DUP was committed to working for a settlement which both unionists and nationalists could support. While the British and Irish governments had insisted there would be no fundamental changes to the Belfast Agreement, he said his party had won the argument about talks. "This election is going to lead to new negotiations."
"We will give no quarter when it comes to fundamental principles, but we will be responsive and imaginative when it comes to how these can be implemented."
Mr Robinson was dismissive of last week's sequenced deal which stalled over the issue of the extent of IRA decommissioning. He also challenged Sinn Féin leader, Mr Gerry Adams, for warning that there was nothing better on offer for unionists than the agreement.
Mr Robinson said unionists had a choice between the "failed Trimble team" or the DUP.
Former UUP minister Sir Reg Empey said his party had made progress in drawing republicans away from violence towards democracy. "There is no doubt that the DUP has no credibility when it comes to negotiations. They will always run away from the difficult choices and leave others to do the hard work," added Sir Reg.
Former SDLP minister Dr Seán Farren said nationalists would never regard a party led by Dr Paisley as being a serious partner for progress.
