A senior member of the Ulster Unionist Assembly team today called on the party to withdraw from the Northern Ireland Executive.
South Antrim MLA David Burnside told the UUP's annual conference in Belfast the party should pull out its two ministers and take on a Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein led government at Stormont from the opposition benches.
His call echoed Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea's demand for a debate within the party about whether it should remain in the power sharing executive.
Mr Burnside, a former MP, told delegates: "I believe it is time for us to form the opposition at Stormont and not to be tainted by or be associated with a Sinn Fein/DUP government.
"I know there are tactical advantages to having two ministers but I believe it would be better electorally for this party not to be associated with the Sinn Fein/DUP Executive, to be a proper Opposition, to attack and let people know the deceit, hypocrisy and the lies."
The Ulster Unionists currently have two ministers in the power sharing executive, compared to the DUP's five plus a junior minister, Sinn Fein's four plus a junior minister and the nationalist SDLP's one.
The party has been considering its future after a poor Assembly election in March which saw it reduced to 18 seats and come fourth in the popular vote.
Wide ranging changes to party rules were passed last night at an extraordinary general meeting in Belfast on the eve of conference.
However there have been signs in recent days of growing unease within the Assembly party, with some UUP sources worrying the party's involvement in the executive will prevent it from offering a real alternative to the DUP.
Mr Burnside today claimed the Executive led by Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness could potentially damage the Union.