Prime Minister: We’re still working with DUP
THERESA May has said she cannot guarantee the support of the DUP for her draft Brexit plan — but denied having a ‘testy’ exchange with Arlene Foster over the details.
The DUP have warned they will review the confidence and supply arrangement for propping up Mrs May’s Government should the proposed deal make it through Parliament.
And while admitting the DUP leader had raised ‘concerns’, the Prime Minister said her Government was
“still working with the DUP”.
Speaking on LBC radio during a live phone-in yesterday, programme host Nick Ferrari asked Mrs May if she was aware of reports that sources close to Mrs Foster (above) say the DUP were set to withdraw their support unless there was a change of Prime Minister.
Mrs May ducked the question, replying: “I’m aware of lot of things that are written and rumoured.
“I haven’t had a testy exchange with Arlene Foster. We have had exchanges with the DUP. They’ve raised some questions with us, some concerns and yes, we’re looking at those and looking at what we can do in the UK to reassure not just the DUP but the people of Northern Ireland.”
One caller from Londonderry told Mrs May: “I actually feel the Prime Minister’s deal will be of huge benefit to the region. Can the Prime Minister give any reassurance that the bespoke deal won’t be scuppered by her confidence and supply partners, the DUP?” Mrs May admitted she had a lot of persuading to do, adding: “I am confident that MPs, when they see this deal, will see it’s in the best interests of the UK. My job is to persuade first and foremost my Conservative benches, and those who are working with us — and the DUP are working with us on confidence and supply. I want to be able to say to every MP I believe this is the best deal for the UK.
“What we have negotiated is to make sure there’s no customs border down the Irish Sea. It was absolutely crucial to me that we didn’t have Northern Ireland separated off in that sense. We are maintaining the integrity of the United Kingdom.
“What the EU wanted was effectively to separate Northern Ireland out, away from the rest of the UK. We said no. They wanted a customs border down the Irish Sea but in October they finally accepted to do it in a different way.
“The point of the backstop is to say that even if we can’t get our future relationship agreed by the beginning of 2021 we need to make sure that Northern Ireland’s border is still fully open with Ireland.”
During the show, Mrs May was told to quit, and to make way for Jacob Rees-Mogg. One caller from Gillingham labelled Mrs May a “modern-day Chamberlain”, referring to the former premier notorious for his appeasement of Hitler. “I would like you to stand up for our country and stand up for what’s best for our country. Appeasing a foreign power and locking us in forever is not doing that,” he said.
Mrs May replied: “No I don’t, and the reason is this: We are not going to be locked in forever to something that we don’t want.”