Mr David Trimble has again been challenged to step down as Ulster Unionist leader by Mr Jeffrey Donaldson. Another Belfast Agreement sceptic has called on him to sort out the party's policy differences.
Mr Donaldson, speaking after the first meeting of the new Ulster Unionist Assembly party, would not be drawn on any personal bid for the leadership.
"There isn't a vacancy at the moment and a vacancy doesn't arise naturally until the Ulster Unionist Council in March. That's why I have chosen my words carefully and said that in the interests of rebuilding the party before the next election that the party leaders step aside."
Mr David Burnside said: "There is a strong feeling and a knowledge within the party all round that the UUP had better get united on policy."
For his part, Mr Trimble said he regretted the remarks made by the two newly elected members, claiming they did not reflect the discussion he had witnessed.
"I'm sorry if Jeffrey said that here because that does not reflect the group meeting we had. We were there for the best part of two hours, it was an amicable discussion," he said.
He would not be drawn on remarks concerning his leadership. "It is rather unfortunate that someone is producing a conclusion before we've had the discussion," he said.
Mr Donaldson, who had a significant personal vote in his Lagan Valley constituency and brought in an additional Ulster Unionist Assembly member, also claimed some UUP colleagues were conspiring to call another Ulster Unionist Council meeting to expel him.
"One of my colleagues indicated that there might be a requisition for a special meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council to call for my resignation but I don't know how correct that is," he said.
One senior unionist is understood to have considered such a move, but it is now thought that there is little chance of a UUC meeting before the body's a.g.m. in March.
Mr Trimble, speaking to reporters in Stormont's Great Hall after the party meeting which many assumed would be a bruising affair between the rival wings of the party, preferred to concentrate on Dr Paisley.
"This assembly here is empty, it is closed and it will not be open until some proposals come forward and it is not good enough for the DUP to go on pretending they are in opposition for the next year or so, because if they do, then we won't be here," he said.
The DUP leader, now that he was in the driving seat, did not have the option to refuse to drive.
"The DUP is the largest party," he said. "That does impose responsibilities upon them. If you are in the driving seat, you have an obligation to bring forward proposals and possible solutions. The fact that Dr Paisley says he is not going to bring forward possible solutions demonstrates again the emptiness of the campaign he fought.
"Not good enough," he said.