The Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain was tonight accused of being overtly pro-nationalist.
In an attack on the minister, Democratic Unionist MEP Jim Allister claimed Mr Hain found it impossible to wean himself off a nationalist agenda.
And as nationalist SDLP deputy leader Dr Alastair McDonnell challenged the DUP to publish their 64-page dossier of demands to Downing Street, Mr Allister accused the British government of embarking on a strategy to demoralise unionists.
The MEP told party colleagues in Newtownstewart, West Tyrone: "Peter Hain among unionists is fast becoming as distrusted and despised as Mo Mowlam, who was the last Secretary of State so overtly pro-nationalist. In the end unionists could not and would not work with her. Hain looks like he may be heading the same way."
Mr Allister said the Northern Ireland Secretary had a lamentably blank scorecard in his efforts to win the confidence of unionists.
Mr Allister cited the release of Shankill bomber Sean Kelly from prison on the eve of the IRA's statement declaring an end to its armed struggle in July as one example of the minister's move to appease nationalists.
He condemned the tearing down of Army watchtowers in the wake of the IRA statement and further plans to scale down the military presence including the scrapping of three Northern Ireland-based battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment.
He was also critical of the appointment of former Women's Coalition Assembly member Monica McWilliams as Chief Human Rights Commissioner and moves to ensure that if Sinn Fein turns down Policing Board seats next April that they will remain in nationalist hands.