Rebel members of the UUP have thrown down a fresh challenge to party leader Mr David Trimble by issuing their own "post-election strategy", calling for a "better agreement", report Joe Humphreys and Dan Keenan.
In a statement issued early yesterday, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson and other anti-agreement Ulster Unionists Mr David Burnside and the Rev Martin Smyth said they had noted "confusion" on the doorsteps about what would happen after the elections, as well as "a growing demand for reassurance and firmer commitments on a number of key issues".
While the party's Charter of Principles and manifesto were "fine as far as they go", Mr Jeffrey Donaldson said he and the others had endorsed "as individual candidates" five commitments.
These included excluding "unreconstructed terrorists" from government, vetoing any move to appoint Sinn Féin North Belfast candidate Mr Gerry Kelly "or any other IRA representative as Minister of Policing and Justice", and co-operating with other parties "to prevent Sinn Féin/IRA claiming key government ministries". The other commitments were to "strive for a better agreement" that would deliver political stability and a lasting peace, and "to promote greater co-operation between unionists".
The statement read: "There is no doubt that the vast majority of unionists have lost confidence in the one-sided implementation of the agreement. Trust in republicans is at an all-time low following their activities in Florida, Castlereagh and 'Stormontgate'.
"Unionists want to see a better way forward and they want their representatives to work together in future negotiations to more effectively represent the unionist cause."
Asked about the division within the UUP, Sinn Féin's West Belfast candidate Ms Bairbre de Brún said people could see her party had "a strategy, a plan, a vision, and that we are on the move. I think if others have difficulties then perhaps it is that lack.
"We think that all of those who want to see progress need to work together to ensure that that progress is brought about. Those who don't want to see progress have a different agenda."
Mr Trimble said yesterday it was wrong to view Mr Donaldson's strategy as a "dissidents' charter", claiming it was not a departure from the party manifesto.
"Any attempt to portray this as a distancing from our manifesto is wrong," he said. "In fact, when you look at the points that are made, it is for the greater part repeating things that are already in the manifesto".
Mr Trimble said Mr Donaldson had written to him before the manifesto launch suggesting the inclusion of his points.
"I looked at them and I ticked them off mentally as I went down because they are all in the manifesto. At that stage it was not reasonable to start re-writing the manifesto to use the form of language that Jeffrey has. The substance of these matters is in the manifesto."
SDLP North Antrim candidate Dr Seán Farren said: "Jeffrey Donaldson and other anti-agreement UUP figures have made their agenda clear. They want to work with the DUP.
"Voters can stop them in their tracks by transferring in order of their choice to pro-agreement candidates - and only pro-agreement candidates."