The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Tories and DUP ‘close’ to agreeing deal after talks
Foster hails ‘good discussions’ but former PM warns of possible impact on Irish peace process
UK ministers are shaping up for a “transactional” deal with the Democratic Unionist Party as crunch talks continue to form a government, The Courier understands.
DUP leader Arlene Foster indicated a deal to support a Conservative minority government is close to being finalised.
Speaking after hours of talks between the two parties, the former First Minister said Brexit, counter-terrorism and “doing what’s right” for the Northern Ireland economy were among the key issues being thrashed out.
Discussions in Westminster continued without Prime Minister Theresa May after she left for Paris for a pre-arranged meeting with newlyelected president Emmanuel Macron.
Mrs Foster said: “We’ve had some very good discussions today and those discussions are continuing this afternoon. I hope that we can reach a conclusion sooner than later.”
A failure to gain support from the Northern Irish party would risk the Queen’s Speech being voted down next week, and Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour will be pushing hard for that outcome.
Sinn Fein has warned such a move undermines power-sharing talks in Northern Ireland and the party’s seven MPs have flown to London where they will hold a briefing with reporters.
Conservative former Prime Minister Sir John Major, who was crucial in bringing peace to Northern Ireland, has raised concerns about the impact of a Tory deal with the DUP.
He told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One: “The last thing anybody wishes to see is one or other of the communities so aggrieved that the hard men, who are still there lurking in the corners of the communities, decide that they wish to return to some form of violence.”
Worries have also been raised about the DUP’s social policies, such as their aversion to LGBT rights and abortion, but Downing Street sources insisted any deals would almost certainly centre on the direction of travel on issues such as Brexit, and would certainly involve more money being given to Northern Ireland.
Mrs Foster arrived in Downing Street with Nigel Dodds at lunchtime for negotiations with the Prime Minister but they decamped to Parliament to allow Mrs May and the DUP’s deputy leader to speak in the Commons.
Chief whip Gavin Williamson, who flew to Belfast for talks with the Unionists at the weekend, is continuing to lead for the Conservatives.
Mrs Foster said: “It won’t surprise anyone that we are talking about matters that pertain, of course, to the nation generally.”
A Downing Street source said talks had been “constructive” but refused to put a timescale on when they would conclude. “Talks are going well,” the added. Mrs May left for the Commons without answering reporters’ questions about how negotiations were progressing.
The Prime Minister did not mention the ongoing deliberations as she addressed MPs but called on parliament to “come together in a spirit of national unity” to deal with the challenges facing the country.