A loyalist killer turned Christian pastor has said Democratic Unionist voters have turned against the party over the prospect of sharing power with republicans.
Pastor Kenny McClinton railed against the party for its "U-turn" in e-mail correspondence with DUP Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and DUP Assembly member Ian Paisley jnr.
Dr McClinton was imprisoned for the murders of a Protestant and a Catholic in 1977 but renounced violence and "found God" in the Maze prison two years later.
In an e-mail to Dr McClinton, Mr Donaldson is alleged to have said that unionism was winning over republicanism. "It is clear Sinn Féin/IRA are under serious internal pressure and may well be incapable of delivering on what is required in terms of support for participation in British democracy, support for a British police service and recognition of British courts and British justice.
"All of this with no prospect of a united Ireland in our lifetime."
A Sinn Féin spokesman said last night: "Sinn Féin has a strategy that can and will deliver Irish unity by peaceful and democratic activity and we are well on with that strategy."
Dr McClinton justified the publication of the e-mails, saying he was speaking for those who were so overawed with respect for Dr Paisley that they did not want to oppose him. "I feel that someone has to speak up because there is so much love and respect for Mr Paisley. Many people who are supporters and in the electorate are overcome by his persona. "This is allowing them to hide themselves and their own thoughts instead of clinically looking at things . . . it's compelling them to follow a leader when the leader has done a U-turn but will not say he has done a U-turn."
He described Dr Paisley as "a man that my family have loved dearly". Dr McClinton told The Irish Times he had turned his back on the DUP. There were "thousands" of loyal DUP supporters who would not vote for it, even if that saw Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness as first minister.
Dr McClinton (59) is part of an international ministry of Ulster-American Christian fellowship. He was ordained into a ministry in Texas but has been barred from the US since September 11th, 2001.