The Assembly's two DUP ministers, Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Nigel Dodds, have called on the Ulster Unionist Party to withdraw from all institutions set up under the Belfast Agreement with immediate effect in a bid to save the RUC.
"If the UUP want to stop the rot they had better do so now before every vestige of our heritage has been destroyed," Mr Robinson said at Stormont.
He insisted only the withdrawal of all unionists from the institutions would prevent the "demise of a gallant police force". "Unilateral action by any unionist group would at present be to no avail but action by both leaves the [British] government no option but to revisit these areas [the Patten proposals]." The UUP Assembly Chief Whip, Mr Jim Wilson, described the call as "typical DUP nonsense" saying if the party had an ounce of political integrity its members should resign from the Assembly immediately. If they won't resign, then they should shut up". he added.
Mr Robinson would not be drawn on whether his party would resign its two ministerial positions in the case of a UUP withdrawal. He insisted the DUP was not really on the Executive and had, therefore, nothing to resign from.
The Regional Development Minister said he had been unimpressed with the UUP-leader's performance in the British House of Commons on Wednesday. "They [Mr David Trimble and Mr Ken Maginnis, the UUP's security spokesman] negotiated the section of the Belfast Agreement. They signed the deal knowing what they agreed to . . . Tough talk after the event is no substitute for wise and sensible judgement before it," he insisted.
His party colleague, Mr Dodds, said there was "100 per cent opposition" in the unionist community to the Patten proposals. The leader of the anti-Agreement Northern Ireland Unionist Party, Mr Cedric Wilson, joined the DUP in its call for Mr Trimble's resignation.