Dissident Ulster Unionist MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson yesterday attacked party leader Mr David Trimble, saying his leadership was in danger of becoming "redundant".
"You can lead, but you can get so far ahead of your people that your leadership becomes redundant," he told RTÉ's This Week programme in a clear reference to Mr Trimble.
In another reference to a speech by the party leader, Mr Donaldson said he would never describe the Republic as mono-cultural or mono-ethnic, as Mr Trimble did.
He also said he would like to see his party and the DUP working more closely together in the future.
"Together we can achieve so much more than we can divided. Division has been a source of weakness."
Mr Donaldson added he hoped the Northern Ireland Assembly would be back in operation in time for the Northern Irish elections next May.
But he insisted the current impasse in the peace process would only be overcome if the IRA and other paramilitary organisations moved to "wind down".
The political process now needs much more than a decommissioning gesture from the IRA, it needs clear proof that the republican group believes the war is over, he said.
If the IRA decided to dismantle, loyalist groups would follow and the gun would finally be taken out of Northern Ireland's politics, Mr Donaldson said.
