THE TUV has been denounced as a party with one policy of attacking fellow unionists in the DUP.
Hitting back at Traditional Unionist Voice conference criticisms of his party, DUP Upper Bann MLA Stephen Moutray said the weekend event proved the TUV had no real future.
"The conference exposed that the TUV has failed to demonstrate any viable aADVERTISEMENTlternative (to the current devolution format)," he said.
"Speaker after speaker glossed over the absence of any viable vision for governing Northern Ireland, by attacking fellow unionists."
Mr Moutray said there was nothing on offer from the TUV, because once you stripped away the anti-DUP rhetoric, there was nothing behind it.
"They advocate that unionists should withdraw from Stormont and return to direct rule in search of another deal," he noted.
"Such an approach isn't remotely realistic. It's simply defeatist.
"They seem to forget that it was during the years of direct rule that unionists suffered most and republicans advanced greatest. Let's not forget that it was Jim (Allister] who equated direct rule to Anglo-Irish rule or Dublin rule. Has his position changed?"
Mr Moutray argued that through devolution the DUP has restored confidence within unionism.
"We will not be taking Jim's defeatist approach," he said.
"Even the most liberal of commentators will recognise that through DUP devolution the 'concession-a-day' to republicans has been stopped and unionists are now in control of their destiny."
And noting that mandatory coalition was "not an end in itself but a step towards our final destination", the MLA explained DUP policy is to eventually see it removed.
"It's high time that Jim stopped attacking fellow unionists and doing the work of republicans," Mr Moutray concluded.
"At a time when Sinn Fein is very visibly under pressure – it's sad, but no surprise, that the TUV provided cover for republicans by attacking the DUP."