The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, and supporters of the Belfast Agreement were dealt a severe blow when the anti-agreement DUP candidate, the Rev William McCrea, won the crucial South Antrim by-election early today.
Mr McCrea caused a huge upset with his victory, which is a major boost to anti-agreement unionists and appears to make a fresh challenge to Mr Trimble's leadership of the UUP inevitable.
Mr McCrea took the seat by 11,601 votes to 10,779 for the UUP candidate, Mr David Burnside, in what had been a safe seat for the Ulster Unionists.
Mr Trimble in a statement this morning said his party was very disappointed with the result, which was clearly a reflection of the level of unease within the unionist community. "Whilst the low turnout has reduced the Ulster Unionist Party vote, the main reason we attribute to the loss of this seat is the Patten Report and the treatment of the Royal Ulster Constabulary by Her Majesty's government.
"The message we were given by unionist voters on the doorstep was that they felt they had to register a protest vote against the government's treatment of the RUC."
He said the British Prime Minister and the Northern Secretary would now have to address the unionists' problems with Patten.
Shortly after the results were announced at 2 a.m., Mr McCrea proclaimed his victory as a judgment on the iniquitous Belfast Agreement and a restoration of traditional unionists values and principals.
"This is a historic day, giving a lead to the rest of unionist people in the province. South Antrim has spoken with a great heart for the people of Northern Ireland and I say to the government, `Ignore this message at your peril,' because democracy is something that cannot be decommissioned."
Mr McCrea's win was greeted with loud cheers from his party leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, and deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson.
Mr Burnside said: "The disgraceful treatment of the RUC past, present and future in some way symbolises all that has gone wrong in the peace process that has turned into a drip-by-drip appeasement by nationalists." He said he would continue to fight within the UUP to see it clearly reflect "authentic traditional unionism".
ein and others who are committed to the agreement. Voting got off to a slow start at 31 polling stations in wet weather yesterday, but the rain began to clear at around 6 p.m. and polling picked up.
Four other candidates were also fighting for the seat left vacant by the death last April of the UUP MP, Mr Clifford Forsythe. They include Mr David Collins from the Natural Law Party, Mr David Ford of the Alliance Party, Mr Donovan McClelland from the SDLP, and Sinn Fein's Mr Martin Meehan.
Mr McCrea said during his tour of polling stations yesterday he had perceived an increase in voter support for him in the constituency, which has been a safe seat for the UUP.
Mr Burnside (48), a former public affairs director for British Airways, voted for the Belfast Agreement, although he says he would now vote against it. He has said there are elements of the deal that he commends, but he has "serious reservations" on the lack of progress on decommissioning and the proposed changes to the RUC.
Mr McCrea (52), a gospel singing Free Presbyterian minister, has carved out a name for himself as an uncompromising opponent of power-sharing. He officiated at the funeral of the murdered LVF leader, Mr Billy Wright, in 1997.