Democratic Unionist Party deputy leader Peter Robinson today accused the British prime minister, Mr Tony Blair, of showing "a tendency towards fascism" in the way he had set up political talks due next week.
The comment came as part of a stinging attack on the Mr Blair ahead of fresh negotiations on the North's political future. Mr Blair and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, are to have talks in Downing Street on Monday with pro-Belfast Agreement parties.
But the anti-agreement DUP will not be able to meet with Mr Blair until later in the week. Mr Robinson said Mr Blair could not ignore the expanded electoral mandate gained by the DUP at the UK general election.
"The unionist community want to see change, I am prepared to negotiate that change and I think that the behaviour of the Prime Minister in attempting to set the pro-agreement parties up as if they have some special credibility as opposed to those who are opponents of the agreement, shows a tendency towards fascism in him," he said.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Inside PoliticsMr Robinson added: "I think he is going to have to learn the lesson that the DUP is a major force in Ulster politics and can no longer be ignored.
"They speak for the unionist people and the unionist people will be heard."
He made it clear he was not talking about tweaking with the agreement, saying it had to be "re-cast".
The party was out to "stop the rot". There had been an avalanche of concessions to republicans and every indication that was to continue, he said.
And he made it clear the DUP was pushing for not only decommissioning of IRA weapons but the dismantling of the IRA itself before it would agree to Sinn Féin being in Government at Stormont.
Sinn Féin needed to be committed exclusively to peaceful and democratic means, he said.
Decommissioning was "just one factor" which showed such a commitment, said Mr Robinson.
"But it would be inconsistent to decommission your weapons but keep your terror machine in place."
PA