THE Liberal Democrats described John Major's proposals as a "dog's breakfast, but probably the only dog's breakfast on offer"; the Ulster Unionists had grave reservations about the system chosen and the Rev Ian Paisley of the DUP accused the British government of doing its best to rig the election.
The British Labour Party leader, Mr Tony Blair, said: "The solution on the election process is certainly not ideal, but then it's not an ideal situation."
Presenting the proposals yesterday, the British Prime Minister told the House of Commons: "No party has got all it wanted. Equally, I see no issue of principle here which could reasonably cause any party to walk away from the democratic process.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, welcomed the elections and the forum - but expressed grave reservations about the system chosen.
"It would have been better to have stuck to the existing system, which is accepted by all parties for local elections in Northern Ireland, and not to have been blown off course by the unholy alliance of the Irish Government, the SDLP and the DUP," he said.
Dr Paisley said in a statement from the United States: "The British government are doing their best to rig the election so that those elected do not properly reflect the will of the people of Northern Ireland."
He predicted that, having rigged the system to allow the election of people who would not win representation in normal circumstances, the government would "attempt next to rig the process to favour the pan nationalist front".
But the mainstream parties at Westminster offered a degree of support.
The Labour leader, Mr Blair, said: "So long as the government searches in good faith for peace we shall not stand in the way of progress on this side and indeed shall try to assist."
The Liberal Democrat leader, Mr Paddy Ashdown said the parties must now make the best of a complex situation.
"This is a dog's breakfast. But it is probably the only dog's breakfast on offer and it may well be the best dog's breakfast that could be arrived at given the position that the government found itself in", he said.