The Ulster Unionist leader has challenged the DUP to make clear how it proposes to renegotiate the Belfast Agreement. The Democratic Unionists immediately hit back, branding Mr David Trimble an inept unionist negotiator.
Accusing DUP leaders of refusing to talk but insisting it would negotiate, Mr Trimble suggested that signals were being exchanged with Sinn Féin despite their denials.
"I suppose one feature of silent negotiation is through semaphores and there has been plenty of semaphoring going on," he said.
"The semaphoring from the DUP in recent weeks and months indicates that their statements that they won't talk directly to Sinn Féin is simply not true.
"I would suggest that one simply should not believe what the DUP say on this. What you should say to them is why won't they tell us what they are going to negotiate and what compromises are they going to make?"
Mr Trimble also claimed there would be no downside for his party at the election. Accompanied at a party election billboard by eight Ulster Unionist candidates in Belfast, Mr Trimble forecast holding on to all its 26 Assembly seats.
He was denounced by the DUP deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson who said: "Voters should take a careful look at the ballot paper to see if David Trimble is running for the Ulster Unionist Party or the Monster Raving Loony Party. His comments that his party may make gains at the election are an echo of his comments before the last Westminster election when the UUP lost almost half its seats."
The Democratic Unionists began their election trail yesterday on board their campaign bus which left Stormont to tour the North's 18 constituencies.
The Ulster Unionists' latest billboard depicting a Mini, was also under fire last night from UK Unionist leader Mr Robert McCartney. The North Down Assembly candidate ridiculed Mr Trimble's campaign slogan of "Simply British". He said "the present Mini built in Germany by BMW is 'Simply German' with absolutely nothing British about it". He said the advert, like the UUP was "simply foolish".