Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble is pushing his party into "the second division" of Northern Ireland politics, a colleague claimed tonight.
As speculation mounted about his future in the Ulster Unionists, rebel MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson claimed unionist voters were deserting the party because of the "failed policy" of Mr Trimble and his supporters.
The Lagan Valley MP warned he and others would align themselves more closely to the Rev Ian Paisley's rival Democratic Unionists in peace process negotiations if the UUP hierarchy refused to renegotiate the Belfast Agreement.
He told Mourne Unionist Association's annual meeting: "It is clear that the leadership has little to show for the gambles they have taken with the integrity of our party.
"Now we have been overtaken by Sinn Fein/IRA for the first time in our history in terms of first preference votes cast at a major election. This represents a humiliation for Ulster Unionism.
"Yet, in spite of all this, there is no indication that the leadership will change the policy of the party to reflect the new political dispensation in unionism.
"Thus we find ourselves in the same position as the Conservative Party in 1997 - no change, no chance!
"It is my firm opinion that without a clear change to a failed policy, many traditional Ulster Unionist voters will continue to desert the party and the position will become unrecoverable.
"The Ulster Unionist Party under its present leadership and direction is destined to play second fiddle in the second division of Ulster politics." Last month's Assembly Election saw the Ulster Unionists' main rival, the DUP, overtake them to become the largest Assembly grouping and the larger unionist party.
The DUP secured 30 Stormont seats, with the Ulster Unionists taking 27.
The Ulster Unionists also finished behind the DUP and Sinn Fein in the popular vote.
Mr Trimble and his allies have insisted the election was not bad, noting the party increased its share of the vote by 1.42 per cent.
PA