The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, has accused unionist hardliners of a "dirty tricks" campaign after members of the Ulster Unionist Council received a bogus letter purporting to come from Sinn Fein in the run-up to tomorrow's crucial council meeting.
The letter said: "You know in your hearts that Britain wants out of the North of Ireland as soon as possible. Sinn Fein . . . would urge you to vote in favour of the Mitchell deal. By doing so we can move forward together to build a new prosperous Ireland . . ."
Mr Trimble said while he was convinced the letter did not emanate from a UUP member, the party had begun an investigation on how the names and addresses of council members had been leaked.
A senior Ulster Unionist negotiator, Sir Reg Empey, said party members would not be intimidated by "cheap stunts".
"I want to make it very clear that the Ulster Unionist Council will not, under any circumstances, be intimidated by physical force nor will we be deflected by cheap dirty tricks such as the fake Sinn Fein letter," he said. He also condemned what he described as an orchestrated campaign of intimidation against UU Council delegates. He referred to a meeting in Newcastle, Co Down, at which the party's senior negotiator, Mr Dermot Nesbitt, alleged he was punched and jostled, and another gathering near Portadown at which Mr Trimble and the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, ran the gauntlet of protesters.
The DUP Assembly member for South Down, Mr Jim Wells, said he heard a punch had been thrown at Mr Nesbitt but missed and glanced off his shoulder. The Rev William McCrea, a DUP Assembly member, yesterday denied any knowledge of the bogus Sinn Fein letter.
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said he felt the tide was running against Mr Trimble.
"I think that it [tomorrow's vote] is probably too close to call, but I don't believe Mr Trimble is heading for the kind of victory he had before. I think the tide is running against him," Dr Paisley said at the opening of a new European Union Website.
Mr Trimble yesterday denied newspaper reports that he would resign if the IRA had not handed over some weapons by January 31st next year. "I would regard setting dates like that as wholly counterproductive," he said.
Asked if he was confident of winning the vote, Mr Trimble referred to letters of support he had received from unionists. "We know where the people are on the matter," he said.
A group of 300 Catholic and Protestant church leaders, who met pro-agreement politicians at Stormont on Wednesday, have taken out a full-page advertisement in support of Mr Trimble and the negotiated deal in the three main local newspapers.