May to give Ulster £1bn to stay PM
DUP will support May in key votes to keep her government in power
May lost majority in Parliament on June 8 with a failed gamble on a snap election
British Prime Minister Theresa May struck a deal on Monday to prop up her minority government by agreeing to £1 billion ($1.3 billion) in extra funding for Northern Ireland in return for the support of the province’s biggest Protestant party.
Talks had dragged on for more than two weeks after Ms May lost her majority in Parliament on June 8 with a failed gamble on a snap election.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and its 10 lawmakers will now support Ms May’s Conservatives in key votes to keep the government in power, although not as a coalition.
There has been some concern among lawmakers about the deal because of the fragile peace agreement in Northern Ireland.
Ms May and DUP leader Arlene Foster presided at the signing of a deal at Downing Street. They smiled and joked as negotiators from both sides, the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson and the Conservatives’ Gavin Williamson, signed the deal that will run for the life of the current parliament due to end in 2022.
“I welcome this agreement which will enable us to work together in the interest of the whole United Kingdom, give us the certainty we require as we embark on our departure from the European Union, and help us build a stronger and fairer society at home,” Ms May said in a statement.
As part of the deal, May agreed to increase spending in the province by £1 billion ($1.27 billion) over two years while the DUP agreed to support Ms May on her budget, Brexit laws, national security and her overall legislative plan.
But Ms May’s position remains insecure. Her Brexit strategy is under scrutiny and her future as prime minister is the subject of public debate.