Support for the Belfast Agreement has fallen to a new low in Northern Ireland, according to a survey released today.
Carried out since the suspension of the power-sharing administration in Belfast on Monday, it indicated support down at 56 per cent, compared with more than 70 per cent at the referendum carried out four years ago.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, who carried out a survey of 1,000 people on Tuesday and yesterday, found only a third of unionists would vote for the agreement if the referendum was held now - about 10 per cent down on a similar survey a year ago.
Among nationalists, support for the agreement has also dropped but remained high at 82 per cent.
The indication of a hardening of attitudes among unionists was reflected in the poll finding that 58 per cent of them did not want to share power with either the SDLP or Sinn Féin.
Across the community divide over half said there would have to be an end to all paramilitary activity as a requirement of a return from suspension of the Assembly and Executive.
Despite the British and Irish governments, SDLP and Sinn Féin saying there is no alternative to the Agreement, just over a half of all nationalists surveyed said they would be prepared to see it renegotiated.
PA