The DUP has claimed the British government "is selling the lie" that the Belfast Agreement has brought a relative peace to the North. Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor reports
The party leader, Dr Ian Paisley, told Mr Tony Blair at an hour-long meeting at Downing Street that statistics complied by the PSNI showed violent incidents have escalated since the accord was signed in 1998.
"The prime minister said he would have to take these figures away and look carefully at them because this was a serious matter," Dr Paisley said afterwards.
He said he had shown Mr Blair police figures demonstrating that between 1995 and 1998 there were 450 shootings, but between 1999 and 2002 the figure had grown to 820. Similarly, bombings totalled 123 between 1995 and 1998 but increased to 561between 1999 and 2002, he said.
However, the Northern Secretary said he was able to assure the DUP leader that alleged threats to the lives of leading DUP members were based on a false security assessment. Dr John Reid said after the meeting that although he shared the Prime Minister's concern at the police statistics, he said they did not provide the full story.
"For the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland, life has got better. But there are areas - in the localities and some of the areas of Belfast - where things have got much worse, and overall there are some worrying signs, particularly in terms of sectarian attacks and bombings and so on," he said.
Last night, the DUP returned to its criticism of the UUP and its leader, Mr David Trimble.
The party deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, said in a statement: "The only route to political stability lies in reaching agreement that the DUP can endorse. As for John Reid, as each day passes he comes closer to facing up to the two things he has done most to avoid.
"He will have to face the verdict of the unionist electorate on his failed agreement and then he will have to face the DUP at the negotiation table."
Turning on the UUP leader, the East Belfast MP added: "Unionists need to have a resolute and firm hand on the tiller, not the limp wrist of a political wimp.
"Trimble is incapable of holding his ground, he is putty in Provo hands."