Charm offensive draws scorn from the DUP
THERESA MAY will visit Wales and Northern Ireland today as the electionstyle campaign to sell her Brexit deal to voters hits its stride.
The Prime Minister will travel to the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Powys this morning, where she will speak with local producers, before flying to Belfast in the afternoon for talks with leaders of the province’s five political parties.
She will argue that her deal creates new opportunities for Welsh farmers, whilst warning of the risks of a no-deal Brexit for Northern Ireland and the need to prevent a hard Irish border.
The whistlestop tour has led to accusations that Mrs May is attempting to go “over the heads” of the DUP, upon whom she depends for her majority, after they pledged to vote down her deal in the House of Commons.
MPS said the visit looked like an “act of desperation” and would not make “a blind bit of difference” amid waning support for the deal in Parliament.
Ahead of talks with Mrs May, Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, said: “Rather than wasting time in a PR battle over a bad deal, the Government must focus on securing a better deal.
“We have been consistent, both publicly and privately, that we cannot support proposals that create divergence in either customs or regulatory measures between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”
Sammy Wilson, the party’s Brexit spokesman, described Mrs May’s approach as “mad” and said it would only “harden our resolve”.
Gavin Robinson, MP for East Belfast, added: “As a Unionist, I’m quite happy for the Prime Minister to visit Northern Ireland – but in these circumstances it won’t make a blind bit of difference.”
Speaking ahead of her visit, Mrs May said: “Having been told by the EU that we would need to split the UK in two, we are leaving as one United Kingdom.
“My deal delivers for every corner of the UK and I will work hard to strengthen the bonds that unite us.”
Mrs May will visit Scotland tomorrow, when she is expected to emphasise the benefits of her deal to farmers and fishermen and highlight the repatriation of powers to Holyrood.