Young Ulster must not surrender to defeatism, the DUP's deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, has told his party's Young Democrats conference in the La Mon House hotel in Belfast on Saturday.
In a passionate speech, Mr Robinson, who is the Assembly's Minister for Regional Development, accused the Ulster Unionist Party of having "lost their will to resist the republican agenda" and urged the hundred or so delegates to oppose any corruption of the democratic process.
"We cannot allow the unionist people to roast on the fire the UUP placed under them. If we were to stand by or acquiesce in this process, as they have done, our shame would cascade down the everlasting ages. Young Ulster, do not surrender to defeatism. I tell you there is light ahead. Our day will come," he proclaimed, to a standing ovation.
Mr Robinson called for the removal of Mr David Trimble, whom he described as "dangerous" for Northern Ireland, as UUP leader. He also defended the DUP's stance of taking up its ministerial portfolios without actually sitting on the Executive. If the party completely boycotted the Assembly it would be unable to "limit the damage and expose corruption", he added.
"Our absence would have freed pro-agreement unionists of the irritant and opposition of Democratic Unionists and released the hand-brake for a more rapid implementation of the agreement.
"Whether in the Assembly, its committees or as Ministers, our mission is to oppose the corruption of the democratic process by the presence of Sinn Fein. To sit on the Executive, however . . . would be to accept collective responsibility and act in partnership with them and that we will not do," he added.
Mr Robinson's words were echoed by another of the party's MLAs, Mr Sammy Wilson, who said his two colleagues (Mr Robinson and Mr Nigel Dodds) were using the mechanism of the Assembly only to confront republicans rather than to co-operate with them.
Denouncing the appointment of Mr Martin McGuinness as Education Minister, Mr Wilson rejected any criticism of his party for not picking the education portfolio itself. He said the blame rested firmly with the UUP which, having allowed republicans on to the Executive in the first place, should have chosen education before Sinn Fein.