The 'No' men and women intent on trashing the Good Friday and St. Andrew's Agreements should be under no illusion as to the dangers and ultimate futility of their ambition.

Both accords remain the best and only hope of creating lasting peace, political stability and a better economic future for all our people.

There is no viable alternative.

Those intent on destroying them will only succeed in destroying these prospects.

No-one ever claimed that the agreements would be easily implemented. While much has been achieved, a great deal remains to be done.

However, in recent years, members of the Assembly and, in particular, the Executive have shown that they can work together on many matters of mutual concern.

Time is now needed for further progress.

Anti-Agreement unionists have no alternative to offer. They have no hope of engaging with any section of the nationalist community to produce an alternative.

Worryingly, their ostrich like approach could not only destroy our new political institutions but also could also risk an increase in violence.

Is this what those who take their lead from Jim Allister and William Ross really want?

Surely the vast majority of unionists do not support such negative politics.

Surely they, too, want to see political stability and partnership between our communities.

It is their voices that must now be heard, not the negative voices that preach the politics of the past.