The Democratic Unionists have launched their campaign ahead of next month's planned election to the Stormont assembly.

Ian Paisley's party has argued strongly that the elections should proceed and hopes to capitalise on the current deadlock in the peace process.

While there are doubts over whether the election will go ahead, the DUP is adopting a business as usual approach - with its first party election broadcast to be aired on Wednesday.

The DUP hopes to mount a challenge to the Ulster Unionists and launched its campaign with a blistering attack on David Trimble.

The party's deputy leader, Peter Robinson, said Trimble was "a politician without any semblance of credibility".

Signalling that the campaign will get bitter and personal he said the UUP leader "would say or do anything to avoid having to face the electorate he has deceived for the last five years".

"Once again he beats his chest before an election, talking tough but everyone knows, as in the past, if he won the election he would attempt to slither back into power with Sinn Fein," added Robinson.

The DUP is confident that the timing of the elections - which come amid growing anger at Sinn Fein's failure to say the war is finally over - will yield positive results for the anti-agreement cause.

Over recent years Paisley's party has steadily chipped away at the Ulster Unionists' dominance in the province.

A significant breakthrough for the DUP could jeopardise the future of devolved government.

Currently Trimble has 28 MLAs, compared to the 22 DUP members.

The future of the assembly therefore rests with Trimble, who will need to return enough MLAs to combat the hardline approach adopted by the DUP.

Similarly the SDLP is facing a strong challenge from Sinn Fein and an increased presence for the hardline republican cause could further strain the already tense relations between the Belfast parties.