Speaking to UTV Live Tonight, Mr Hutchinson once again accused republicans of "cultural war" - which he said must be taken on, both at Stormont and on the streets.

It's almost 20 years since the former MLA emerged politically during the period of the ceasefires and peace negotiations.

"The combined loyalist military command will universally cease all operational hostilities as from midnight on Thursday 13 October 1994," announced the then loyalist leader Gusty Spence.

When peace negotiations began, loyalists were at the heart of things.

But since then, the Progressive Unionist Party has lost its two seats and once more the streets have become the stage for protests and confrontation.

Sinn Féin lost the war for a united Ireland and what they are now doing is fighting the cultural war. We need to stop that now.

Billy Hutchinson

"Unfortunately, we are not in Parliament [to take Sinn Féin on at Stormont], but we will certainly take them on in the street," Mr Hutchinson said.

A series of loyalist demonstrations have been held across Northern Ireland since December when Belfast City Council changed its policy on flying the Union flag.

Nationalists and Republicans had wanted the flag taken down altogether, but Alliance - which holds the balance of power - put forward a compromise.

The amendment was passed by 29 votes to 21.

For the past 11 weekends, a march has taken place through Belfast city centre and authorities have come under increasing pressure to intervene.

Many of the demonstrations in parts of Northern Ireland have been peaceful, however, others have resulted in street violence - with over 200 arrests and around 150 people charged.

"What the 'shinners' are very good at is playing street politics and if they think they are good at it, wait until they see us at it. We are just as good as them," Mr Hutchinson said.

In the continuing fallout over identity, flags and marching, Sinn Féin have dismissed the charge of cultural war as a propaganda ploy designed to avoid a proper discussion of these issues.

But loyalists like Billy Hutchinson are adamant that they have got it right.

He insisted: "Let me be very clear - the only way to stop Sinn Féin doing what they are doing is to take them on at their own game, and that is what we will do."

When asked if round table discussions would be a better solution than taking to the streets, the loyalist leader replied that it would be great - if it was all equal.

"We won't be dealing on Sinn Féin's terms," he said, adding that he won't be made feel to like a second class citizen in his own land - and that the protestant working class need politicised or else they will be left behind in a political wilderness.

Chief Superintendent George Clarke said young people, in particular young men, face enough challenges growing up in north and west Belfast - educational achievements, employment opportunities, their sense of self worth and development - without getting caught up in unrest.

You are not giving those people, those young men, the leadership and the best chance, if you encourage them out onto the street in a situation where disorder can occur.

Chief Superintendent George Clarke

"The street is not the place to develop, to discuss a political view," the senior PSNI officer said. "It is not the place to develop and discuss relationships between communities.

He also said that a large number of people facing disorder charges are male youths.

However, in one part of the city, new relationships have been built - the cross-community work in the north of the city stretches across the divide and those involved insist that it must be protected.

Harry Smith, from the Community Bridges programme, said the intercommunity work in north Belfast is remarkable.

"We have built quite a relationship of trust between both communities and we can see the impact of this trust in relation to a significant reduction in interface violence in north Belfast," he said.

Liam Maskey, of the INTERCOMM project, said: "We are already sharing spaces.

"Shared space is happening, shared space is needed and, sadly, a lot of people are not getting the message - but our job is to make sure we work by example."

He said many issues need to be resolved, but that there are many avenues open to resolving them.

Meanwhile, the PUP believes that more needs to be done to encourage young people to get involved in politics, as the party looks to embark on the long road back to Stormont.

"People have not been stimulated to vote, they have not been interested - so they have thought: 'What is the point in voting? My vote doesn't count, it doesn't do anything'," Johnny Harvey said.

"I think we have seen what happens recently when you don't come out to vote, if you are not registered and you do not come out to have your say."