Fair director Willie Frazer, who is not a DUP member, but is a long-time party supporter, said if the DUP didn't reject the deal outright by Friday . . . when it must deliver its judgement to the two governments . . . it would suffer substantial electoral losses.

"I've the utmost respect for Dr Paisley but I don't know why he is still running with this agreement, " Frazer said. "The DUP leadership aren't selling this on the merits of the deal, they're selling it on Dr Paisley's name. 'Trust Paisley', they say.

"Well, only God doesn't make mistakes. Dr Paisley isn't infallible. He's only one man and he's 80 years of age.

He could well have been misled by the British government. Dr Paisley is very truthful but Tony Blair is a master at telling lies.

"I've no wish to degrade Dr Paisley, but I'm disappointed that a man who has visited the homes of so many murdered over the years, seems prepared to sell this deal."

Frazer claimed that, despite the DUP's insistence that it was united, divisions exist. MEP Jim Allister and South Antrim MP, the Rev Willie McCrea, were against the agreement, he said.

By comparison, Paisley, Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, and DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson, believe that the agreement could work with certain changes, Frazer claimed.

North Belfast MP, Nigel Dodds, was increasingly sceptical of the agreement, he added.

A DUP spokesman said:

"Willie Frazer's views have been heard as part of our consultation process. He was one of the first individuals to be granted a meeting with the party leader.

"St Andrews is a set of proposals by the British and Irish governments. The DUP hasn't signed up to any deal.

More work has to be done on various issues."

Fair represents 3,000 people injured or bereaved in the Troubles. "I can't emphasise enough the strength of feeling among victims, " Frazer said.

"Many believe it's immoral to be letting unreconstructed terrorists into government.

Others are disappointed that DUP negotiators failed to nail down Sinn Fein and the British government on crucial issues at St Andrews.

Sinn Fein should have been forced to sign up to policing there and then."

Frazer said he had received DUP assurances there would be no u-turn on allowing onthe-run IRA members home, but British government plans to do exactly that had just been disclosed.