Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ARLENE ANSWERS TORY MAYDAY
Under-pressure PM calls on Ulster ‘allies’ DUP holds balance of power in parliament
THE DUP will flex its political muscle as it hammers out a deal to prop up Theresa May’s floundering Government.
Arlene Foster will enter talks with the struggling PM whose decision to call a poll backfired when the Tories lost their majority. Mrs May revealed she will work with her Democratic Unionist “friends and allies”, while the former First Minister will “strive for the best deal for Northern Ireland and its people”.
THE DUP is drawing up a Northern Ireland wish list after a seismic Westminster election left Theresa May eating out of its hand.
The Tory PM announced she will work with “friends and allies” in the Democratic Unionists to enable her to lead a Government after her party suffered a battering at the polls. Democratic Unionist MPS were rubbing their hands with glee as early as Thursday night with Lagan Valley representative Jeffrey Donaldson saying they would be “serious players” in a hung parliament. Arlene Foster took no questions yesterday afternoon at a brief press conference flanked by her MPS at the Stormont Hotel in East Belfast. But she said she had spoken to the Prime Minister “and we will enter discussions with the Conservatives to explore how it may be possible to bring stability to our nation at this time of great challenge”. She added: “I make no apology for saying the DUP will always strive for the best deal for Northern Ireland and its people. But equally we want the best for all of the United Kingdom. These are challenging times. “Our United Kingdom – and indeed our very way of life – are under threat from extremists. “Negotiations on our exit from the European Union are about to commence. And we now face uncertainty in Westminster.” But amid speculation of cash boosts to local infrastructure, the party was holding its cards close to its chest. It is understood there will be no formal coalition between the Conservatives and the DUP. But a “confidence and supply deal” will be put in place with the party’s 10 MPS helping Mrs May when needed, almost certainly in exchange for significant concessions. The DUP success story saw a surge in support for the party as it took South Belfast from the SDLP and South Antrim from the Ulster Unionists. Observers believe at least some of that success, which saw huge turnouts even in safe seats, was down to a unionism galvanised by Sinn Fein’s success in the Assembly election. With Brexit talks looming there will be focus on how the DUP uses its influence to ensure the “frictionless” border with the Republic which was referred to in its manifesto. However, if the UK pulls out of the customs union it is difficult to see how a soft border can be achieved. But as the DUP worked out how to get the best deal out of the Tories, Sinn Fein used its surge from four to seven seats to dismiss Westminster as an irrelevance. The party’s Northern leader Michelle O’neill described the poll as “another watershed election”. But she added: “For the first time since the foundation of the state the unionist vote was less than 50% in a Westminster election. “This was also a vote against Brexit. It was significant election with the Sinn Fein vote increasing in all constituencies and electing seven abstentionist MPS. “Nationalist opinion is looking to leadership at home and across Ireland not Britain. “The current issue of a hung British parliament is transitory. It is no surprise the DUP have sided with the Tories.” And Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams poured scorn on the anticipated deal between the Conservatives and DUP. He said: “History will show alliances between Ulster unionism and British
DUP will strive for the best deal for Northern Ireland ARLENE FOSTER EAST BELFAST YESTERDAY
unionism has always ended in tears. It is far better to look to our own place, to all of the people here, to deal with the people of this island, this part of the island as one community.” Mr Adams called on the DUP and Irish government to focus on restoring devolution to crisis-hit Stormont. He added: “Theresa May sought a mandate for Brexit, austerity and the erosion of human rights. She got her comeuppance.” In a reference to the still suspended Stormont, Mrs O’neill added Sinn Fein “is entering the talks to re-establish an Executive that delivers for all and for the full implementation of the agreements”. The Prime Minister’s move angered liberal Tories. Ruth Davidson, the gay Scottish Conservative leader who won 13 seats to keep Theresa May in power, aimed a swipe at the DUP by tweeting a link to a pro-gay marriage speech she made. She said: “As a Protestant unionist about to marry an Irish Catholic, here’s my Amnesty Pride lecture.” The Tories now have 19 gay MPS – almost double the number of DUP politicians in their new alliance. Ahead of the talks with Conservatives, a senior DUP member revealed any deal would not extend beyond a “confidence and supply” arrangement. East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said his party was in a “fantastic position to deliver for Northern Ireland”. Before the 2015 election, with the pollsters predicting a hung parlia- ment, the DUP ruled out a potential formal coalition with the Conservatives, indicating support would be offered from the opposition benches. Mr Robinson added: “We have essentially got the result we were campaigning for two years ago.”
We have essentially got the result we were campaigning for in 2015 General Election GAVIN ROBINSON EAST BELFAST YESTERDAY