A leading member of the Progressive Unionist Party has warned that the dissident Loyalist Volunteer Force could be "wiped out" in a week if it continues sniping at the UVF.
Mr Billy Hutchinson said he was not issuing a threat but simply "predicting" what would happen if the LVF kept "niggling" at the UVF. On BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme yesterday he also called for his party to withdraw from the talks process and he accused the British government of pandering to republicans.
The LVF opposes the peace process and the loyalist ceasefire. While the UVF is a far bigger organisation in terms of members and weapons, the LVF has strong support in Mid-Ulster, south Down and parts of Belfast. It has its own wing at the Maze prison.
The PUP is the UVF's political wing and Mr Hutchinson's comments are being interpreted as a clear warning to the LVF to watch its step. He said that while all parties should discuss the hand-over of weapons after talks had ended, he did not believe that the decommissioning process would "produce one bullet at this point in time".
Mr Hutchinson also stated that his party should stop offering political advice to loyalist paramilitaries and should withdraw from a talks process which was currently offering loyalists nothing.
He said that he had already voiced his views within his party. "I've asked them to reconsider their position in the talks, particularly in relation to giving political analysis to the UVF and Red Hand Commando. I feel at this moment in time that Mo Mowlam isn't paying any attention to the PUP or to any other loyalist or unionist grouping." He added that his was a minority position in the PUP and would be defeated in a vote.
Mr Hutchinson said that his party was being treated as "bit-players" by the Northern Secretary. "It's time that Mo Mowlam woke up and realised that there are more than republicans involved in this process," he said.
He denied that he was an extremist: "People who have known me since I've been released from prison will know that I run a cross-community group and that I'm not sectarian. But I feel that every time the Provos cry, Mo Mowlam lifts them like a baby."
Mr Hutchinson said loyalists were receiving second-class treatment in relation to prisoners. Many republicans in British jails had been repatriated or had their security status lowered to allow greater freedom of movement. However, the six loyalist prisoners in Britain remained on high-category status and one had been denied repatriation to the North.
Mr Hutchinson said the treatment of loyalists in the Maze in Co Antrim had deteriorated since the loyalist ceasefire. Two seriously ill prisoners received no privileges and an inmate with a brain tumour had been taken to hospital hand-cuffed.
"I get embarrassed when I have to talk to prisoners' families, when I have to talk to prisoners, because I personally and our party have achieved nothing for prisoners," he said.
Mr David Adams of the Ulster Democratic Party, the UDA's political wing, said he shared many of Mr Hutchinson's frustrations, particularly in relation to prisoners.
"There is a total discrepancy in the treatment of loyalists, who have been on ceasefire three years, and republicans who are back on ceasefire less than six weeks. It's causing great tensions and frustrations.
"When one hears of government officials talking about confidence-building measures, what they are actually talking about are measures designed to instill confidence among republicans. It is time that some confidence-building measures were directed towards loyalists."
Mr Adams acknowledged that both Dr Mowlam and the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, had praised loyalists for adhering to their cease-fire but he added: "Words only go so far and patronising remarks have a very short shelf-life."