Unionists opposed to the Belfast Agreement, both inside and outside the Ulster Unionist Party, have indicated that they would fiercely resist any deal designed to result in Assembly elections and a functioning Executive.
As the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister prepare to fly to Hillsborough today to sign off on a deal leading to elections, the Lagan Valley UUP MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson maintained his assault on party leader, Mr David Trimble.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with the DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, after a meeting with the PSNI chief constable, Mr Hugh Orde, yesterday, Mr Donaldson demanded that Mr Trimble "come clean" about his negotiations with the Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams.
"I have to say that I am very concerned that some kind of a deal is being cooked up here; that it involves the devolution of policing and justice powers within two years. That is something the Ulster Unionist Party has never discussed.
"Mr Trimble hasn't consulted the party officers about this two-year timescale. It also seems that our requirements on decommissioning and the disbandment of the IRA are once again being watered down.
"I think we are looking at another fudge, and in such circumstances I believe a deal of that nature will be rejected by the overwhelming majority of unionist voters."
Mr Donaldson, who with fellow rebel MPs Mr David Burnside and the Rev Martin Smyth has refused to retake the party whip at Westminster, said it was a coincidence that he and Mr Robinson were together meeting the chief constable to discuss the murder of LVF leader Billy Wright.
When asked would he join the DUP, he replied: "I will continue to fight for the things that I believe in within the Ulster Unionist Party, but I have to say that it is becoming increasingly difficult when one is constantly maligned by the party leader and obstacles are put in our way. Nevertheless, we will keep going."
Should Mr Donaldson and Mr Burnside, two Assembly candidates, continue to defy the party whip and resist any deal, Mr Trimble could refuse to sign their nomination papers which means they could not stand under the official UUP banner. Mr Trimble would not be drawn yesterday on what position he would adopt in such circumstances.
Mr Robinson focused on the efforts in the talks to devolve responsibility for policing and criminal justice to the Executive over two years. He said this would open the door for former IRA prisoner Mr Gerry Kelly to be the next minister for justice.
"I think it is an outrageous situation that David Trimble is going to campaign over the next number of weeks and months for Northern Ireland to have Gerry Kelly as the minister responsible for the police and courts in Northern Ireland."
Mr Robinson said Mr Trimble's speech to his party conference on Saturday was a "pathetic spectacle".
"I think many people would have noticed how poorly attended the conference was, and how deflated many of the delegates were."
Mr Trimble yesterday unveiled the UUP's new slogan "Simply British", and a billboard with a picture of a plate of fish and chips to denote that sense of Britishness.
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said voters would not be "fooled" by the image. "When the votes are cast, it will be easy to see who has taken the battering. In customary fashion David Trimble has backed down in the face of Sinn Féin/IRA pressure, and returned to his favourite policy position - the U-turn."
