Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, has supported the British government's decision to postpone the North's Assembly elections.
He said it made a solution to the problems plaguing the peace process more likely.
However, anti-agreement unionists strongly disagreed with the postponement. They said Mr Blair was allowing democrats to be held to ransom by the activities of the Provisional IRA.
Mr Trimble said he hoped the time allowed by the election postponement would be used by the republican movement to reflect on its position.
"If the Prime Minister had allowed the republican movement to face him down, then we would be less likely to solve the underlying problems and less likely to ever see the Assembly back functioning again."
The UUP leader believed the postponement of the election actually brought the day closer when the Assembly and Executive were again functioning.
He accused the republican movement of taking advantage of the UUP's courage and said republicans would have to reconsider their approach to the peace process.
"They are going to have to implement this agreement properly. I have wanted to see the problem cured. I want to get rid of the instability whereby the Assembly lurches from crisis to crisis and we want to see the Assembly function properly in a stable and peaceful society. We had hopes that was going to happen."
The Provisional IRA statement was very disappointing, Mr Trimble added, and it would have been illogical to elect an Assembly which had no prospect of meeting.
However, Ulster Unionist Assembly candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Ms Arlene Foster, said the election should have gone ahead.
"As a candidate, and especially as a voter, I feel 'how dare they deny our right to vote?'. The election should have been held with the Assembly and Executive set up afterwards but with Sinn Féin excluded from government.
"Everybody is being held to ransom because the Provisional IRA is violating the principles of a democratic society and is still engaged in terrorist activity."
Ulster Unionist president and south Belfast MP, the Rev Martin Smyth, said: "When our government has supported the UN going in to other countries to oversee fair and free democratic elections and ensure they go ahead, it seems astounding they would take this action in part of the UK.
"Democracy cannot be treated like stocks and shares which are cashed in when you think you will get the maximum return."
The Assembly elections were originally meant to be held after a four-year period. That was extended to five years, further extended by a month, and then put on the "long finger", Mr Smyth said.
He added: "With the manoeuvring, rule-bending and wordplay of the last five years having already increased cynicism in the political process, is making the holding of an election a farcical joke the best way to discourage apathy and have voters turn out?"