The two nationalist candidates in the North's European election clashed last night in a television debate over the messages being sent to the electorate.
The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, accused Sinn Fein's Mr Mitchel McLaughlin of attempting to turn the election into a "sectarian head count".
The Sinn Fein chairman, Mr McLaughlin, said claims by Mr Hume that his campaign was concerned solely with European issues were misleading. "To appeal to people - give me a bigger vote than Ian Paisley - is as local as it can get and I don't think it is actually a European platform," said Mr McLaughlin.
Mr Hume said he had simply called for a "maximisation" of the SDLP vote and accused Mr McLaughlin of trying to turn the poll into "a sectarian head count", just like the DUP leader, Dr Paisley.
"No, you're the person that's making that appeal," replied Mr McLaughlin, who said he aimed to see two nationalist candidates elected to Europe.
Dr Paisley took part in the debate via a screen from another studio, refusing to sit beside Mr McLaughlin. The Ulster Unionist candidate, Mr Jim Nicholson, also took part and denied claims by Dr Paisley that the UUP would "sell out" Northern Ireland.
With a week to polling, the UK Unionist candidate, Mr Robert McCartney, yesterday attacked the UUP for illustrating "breathtaking hypocrisy" on policing. He challenged Mr Nicholson to a public debate on the issue.
"Jim Nicholson made himself David Trimble's chief cheerleader during the campaign to sell the agreement to the voters. He knew then, and he knows now, that David Trimble signed up for the Patten Commission and that both he and his leader bear personal responsibility for the demoralised and uncertain state ordinary police officers find themselves in," said Mr McCartney, who opposes the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Nicholson, an incumbent MEP, stressed on Tuesday that the fundamentals of policing should not be tampered with by the Patten Commission or the British government. "With defenders like Mr Nicholson, the RUC does not need enemies," Mr McCartney said.
The UUP will today detail the attendance records of the North's three representatives in the European Parliament. "The figures show that Jim Nicholson is the hardest working, most outstanding MEP for Northern Ireland," said a party spokesman yesterday.
Mr Sean Neeson, the Alliance Party candidate, yesterday called for more transparency and openness in the EU. "Many people in Northern Ireland may feel distances from Europe or believe that it does not directly impact on their lives here. Greater openness and transparency in Europe could help show how Europe has been instrumental in regional support, structural funding and money to fund many peace and reconciliation initiatives."