The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
DUP will only back May if Brexit deal is ditched
POLITICS: Warning to Eurosceptics that go-ahead could topple government
Tory resistance to Theresa May’s Brexit deal has been bolstered after Eurosceptics were warned that if the agreement goes through it could bring down the government.
DUP support for Mrs May’s administration in any confidence motion would depend on the deal being defeated or ditched by the prime minister.
The DUP’s 10 MPs would not back the prime minister if her Brexit deal, including the controversial Northern Ireland backstop measure, survives.
The position means that Tory Eurosceptics, who had feared defeat for Mrs May’s deal in the crunch vote on December 11 could result in the collapse of the government, may now feel emboldened to vote against it.
Between them the Conservatives and DUP have the parliamentary numbers to resist a motion of no confidence.
The prime minister depends on the DUP for her Commons majority, but the unionist party claims the Withdrawal Agreement thrashed out with Brussels breaches the terms of the confidence and supply deal struck with the Tories.
DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds said: “We will vote against her plan because it is bad for the United Kingdom, certainly bad for Northern Ireland given the legal advice that we have forced out of the government today.”
Labour has indicated it will table a motion of no confidence in the prime minister in the wake of a defeat on such a pivotal issue for Mrs May.
Even if there was not a general election, the lack of a majority would make it difficult for the Conservatives to get any legislation through parliament – including the bill to implement the Brexit deal.
The DUP’s position was set out to Tory Brexiteers at a meeting of the European Research Group (ERG), led by Jacob Rees-Mogg. He said: “The DUP will support the government in a confidence motion if the Withdrawal Agreement is voted down. But the risk of losing them and having an election is if the Withdrawal Agreement goes through.”
In an indication of efforts to avoid a defeat on December 11, Chief Whip Julian Smith put in an appearance and was left in no doubt about what would be required to win over would-be rebels.
The problems for Mrs May come after the government was forced to publish the legal advice offered to the Cabinet by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. It warned the backstop could result in the UK becoming stuck for many years in “protracted and repeating rounds of negotiations” with no lawful power to exit.