MR John Major has been told that the loyalist ceasefire in the North is in a "precarious" condition. And members of the Progressive Unionist Party and the Ulster Democratic Party again ruled out movement on arms decommissioning following an hour of talks with the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street yesterday.
As the Stormont inter-party talks move into a crucial phase, Mr Gary McMichael, the UDP spokesman, said. "Loyalists will not be in a position to decommission weapons while the IRA remains on a military campaign."
That blunt warning came as senior Ulster Unionists cast some doubt on the continued participation of the loyalist parties in the talks process. But the PUP and the UDP last night denied suggestions from senior unionist sources that the loyalist ceasefire would break on the occasion of the next IRA attack, whether in Britain or in Northern Ireland.
And it is clear that the need for forward movement in the talks process dominated much of last night's meeting, which the loyalist parties concluded by urging Mr Major to "take further risks for peace".
But the Prime Minister was severely criticised for meeting the delegation, which included UDP Forum member Mr John White, who served a 14 year sentence for the murder in 1973 of Senator Paddy Wilson of the SDLP and his girlfriend, Ms Irene Andrews.
Lord Fitt, the former SDLP leader, said he was "bitterly resentful" that the Prime Minister would be "sitting across the table from John White, who murdered my closest friend in a very brutal, sadistic and cold blooded way in 1973." Lord Fitt said. It was said at the time that it was one of the most brutal murders that had taken place and now, all these years after, that man seems to be rewarded by sitting in Downing Street talking to Prime Minister."
Sinn Fein criticised the government's "double standards". Party chairman Mr Mitchel McLaughlin said Mr Major refused to meet Mr Gerry Adams during the 18 months of the IRA ceasefire, and despite Sinn Fein's 15 per cent share the vote in the May election.
He continued. "The parties he is meeting... are part of the unionist conspiracy during which one man was murdered, nationalists were burned out of their homes and widespread damage was caused. Unionists clearly, broke the Mitchell principles, yet, Mr Major refuses to meet Sinn, Fein. His refusal to meet. Gerry Adams lacks any credibility. He should meet him immediately."
And North Down MP Mr Robert McCartney said he agreed with Sinn Fein that there was a "logical inconsistency" in talking to loyalists while their guns were retained but not to the republicans
But Mr McCartney said Mr Major should not talk to either group, loyalist or republican, while they refused to decommission.
Asked about the controversy generated by his presence, Mr White said. "I am here to ensure that incidents like I was involved in will not happen again. I have committed myself to the peace process like many other ex-prisoners.
The PUP spokesman, Mr David Ervine, said they had agreed with Mr Major on to "absolute necessity" of making substantive progress in the Stormont talks. But the loyalist spokesmen last night echoed Ulster Unionist warnings that they might not be able to agree the agenda for the substantive negotiations before next week's scheduled break for the summer holiday.
Mr McMichael said the meeting was a welcome recognition of the role played by the loyalist parties in the past two years. He continued. "The message sent to Sinn Fein by this meeting is that there are rewards for engaging in the democratic process, there are rewards for moving from violence."
After meeting Mr Major the two party delegations also had talks at the House of Commons with the Labour Party leader, Mr Tony Blair.