Loyalist MPs have accused the British Government of bias towards Republicans and of being 'one-sided' in its approach to the Northern Ireland peace process.

The claims came as the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, held crisis talks with the loyalist Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) at Stormont.

Gary McMichael: Mo Mowlam must retrieve this situation

The UDP has demanded that Dr Mowlem should take measures to build confidence within the Loyalist community before the talks process resumes on January 12 after its Christmas recess.

The UDP leader, Gary McMichael, has accused the Government of adopting a "lopsided approach" to the peace process.

"There is a growing feeling within Unionism and Loyalism that the Government is valuing the concerns of Nationalism above those of Loyalism and Unionism," he said.

"There is a need for rapid movement on Mo Mowlam's part to try and retrieve this situation."

His warnings came during a 45-minute meeting at Stormont which followed talks between the Secretary of State and the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) on Monday evening.

The PUP is equally angry at the direction the Government is taking and has warned it may not return to the talks table.

The problem has been compounded by the Government's decision to release paramilitary prisoners from both sides of the political spectrum on home leave for Christmas.

In all, 170 Loyalist and Republican prisoners have been released. Among them are Tommy MacMahon, jailed for the murder of Lord Mountbatten in 1979, and Patrick Magee, who planted the Brighton bomb that killed five people at the Conservative Party conference.

It is the first time Magee has been eligible for the Christmas leave.

Following the release, Loyalist prisoners said they were reassessing their support for what they called the "faltering" peace process and have accused the Government of operating a Republican agenda.
 

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