The Ulster Unionist ruling executive meets today against a backdrop of increasing pressure on party leader, Mr David Trimble, from the anti-agreement wing of his party to withdraw support for the Belfast Agreement.
The 110-strong membership of the executive will gather at 3 p.m. at party headquarters in Glengall Street to discuss the Mitchell review of the implementation of the agreement and the fall-out from the Patten report on policing, which Mr Trimble has described as "shoddy".
Mr Trimble's supporters insist his leadership will not be debated at today's meeting. However, there has been an open call for his resignation from Mr William Thompson, a member of the UUP parliamentary party, who urged him to "consider" his position.
The party's deputy leader, Mr John Taylor, has also effectively departed to the Ulster Unionist No camp with his refusal last weekend to take part in the review. His decision means that seven of the 10 Ulster Unionist MPs are now considered to be against the process.
The party's security spokesman, Mr Ken Maginnis, has been critical of Mr Taylor's departure from the review. "There is no good in believing, in a situation like Northern Ireland, that you can live your life with a foot on either side of the fence," he said.
According to Mr Maginnis, there is no mood within the party to overthrow Mr Trimble. "The party isn't going to shoot itself in the foot. There is no obvious alternative to David Trimble and there is no alternative plan," he told The Irish Times yesterday.
"The question is whether the parliamentary party is in danger of doing what it did in 1969 and detach itself from the main body of the party believing that safety is enshrined in the green benches of Westminster. It is not," added the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
Mr Maginnis said he would recommend that the party continue to take part in the review process but that the decision be governed ultimately by the UUP ruling executive. "David Trimble is loyal to that executive as they have been loyal to him."
The UUP is also continuing to draft plans for a legal challenge to the Northern Secretary's recent ruling on the IRA ceasefire. Dr Mowlam deemed the ceasefire to be intact despite conceding that the organisation was behind the killing of Mr Charles Bennett and had tried to smuggle guns.
The challenge is being spearheaded by the Lagan Valley MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, who is expected to present the plan to request a judicial review of the decision to Mr Trimble later this week. Mr Donaldson, who opposes the Belfast Agreement, said on Saturday it was time to "take stock" and begin looking for an alternative way forward, "if, as is pretty clear, those that signed up to the agreement are refusing to honour their obligations in terms of an end to violence and the decommissioning of illegal arms," he said on BBC Radio Ulster.
If Mr Trimble attempted to bring the UUP into an executive with Sinn Fein without decommissioning, his position would be untenable. However, "we're not in that position yet because the party policy of `no guns, no government' remains", he added.
Mr Donaldson said Mr Taylor's decision would be replicated in homes across Northern Ireland. "Many people are disillusioned. There is no doubt confidence in the process is at a very low ebb."
Mr Taylor said at the weekend that despite his own position he would not argue against continued participation in the review because it would create divisions in the party.
"I know at least 50 per cent of the party are against the review but to do that would create a crisis in the party," he said.