UK PM May strikes deal to get Northern Irish DUP support for minority government

British Prime Minister Theresa May and the leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party struck a deal on Monday to support May’s minority government.

UPDATE: The DUP agreed to support the Tories in Brexit and national security, giving their votes for confidence motions and budget proposals.

UPDATE: The deal states that “the UK government notes that one of the first tasks for Northern Ireland’s new executive will be to work towards the devolution of corporation tax rates, the timetable for its introduction, and how this might best be flexibly managed, with options being developed for the Autumn Budget 2017.”

The United Kingdom will also utilise its networks of embassies and high commissions to promote Northern Ireland as a location for foreign direct investment.

UPDATE: According to the economical deal made, some 400 million pounds will go to infrastructure, 350 million pounds on health and education, 150 million pounds will be invested in broadband while 100 pounds will be allocated to social projects.

UPDATE: First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones criticised the deal.

“Today’s deal represents a straight bung to keep a weak Prime Minister and a faltering Government in office”, Jones said. “Only last week we were told that the priority was to ‘build a more united country, strengthening the social, economic and cultural bonds between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.’ This deal flies in the face of that commitment and further weakens the UK, and as currently drafted all but kills the idea of fair funding for the nations and regions. It is outrageous that the Prime Minister believes she can secure her own political future by throwing money at Northern Ireland whilst completely ignoring the rest of the UK.,”

UPDATE: Sterling gained 0.1-0.2 percent against the dollar and euro on Monday as Prime Minister Theresa May struck a deal to prop up her minority government, peeling away one layer of uncertainty for Britain as its negotiates its exit from the European Union.

UPDATE: Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party has agreed to support the British government in parliamentary votes on the budget, and on all Brexit and national security legislation, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday.

In a statement after her Conservative Party reached a deal with the DUP following her failure to win an outright parliamentary majority in a June 8 election, May also urged Northern Irish political parties to agree over the province’s government by a June 29 deadline.

“The DUP will support the Conservative government on votes on the Queen’s Speech, the Budget, and legislation relating to Brexit and national security,” May said.

“The agreement makes clear that we remain steadfast to our commitments as set out in the Belfast Agreement and its successors, and in governing in the interests of all parts of the community in Northern Ireland,” she added.

UPDATE: The UK Government agreed for a report on the impact of VAT and air passenger duty in Northern Ireland.

UPDATE: DUP will have no involvement in the UK government’s roles in the political talks in Northern Ireland.

UPDATE: The deal has been made public and it contains keeping the triple lock for pensions and the winter fuel payment for pensioners. It also features a boost in spending for defense, which should reach 2 per cent of the GDP and also extending the armed forces covenant to Northern Ireland.

UPDATE: The United Kingdom’s government has agreed to increase spending by 1 billion pounds over two years as part of a deal to ensure the support of the province’s biggest Protestant party for Prime Minister Theresa May’s minority government.

“Today we have reached an agreement with the Conservative Party on support for government in parliament,” DUP leader Arlene Foster said in Downing Street. “This agreement will operate to deliver a stable government in the United Kingdom’s national interest at this vital time.”

“Following our discussions the Conservative Party has recognised the case for higher funding in Northern Ireland, given our unique history and indeed circumstances over recent decades,” Foster said. “We welcome this financial support of 1 billion pounds ($1.27 billion) in the next two years.”

British Prime Minister Theresa May struck a deal on Monday to prop up her minority government with the support of a small Northern Irish Protestant party.

After May lost her majority in parliament on June 8 with a failed gamble on a snap election, she tried to secure the backing of the small Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and its 10 lawmakers, though talks had dragged on for more than two weeks.

May and DUP leader Arlene Foster presided at the signing of a deal at Downing Street on Monday. They smiled and joked as negotiators from both sides, the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson and the Conservatives’ Gavin Williamson signed the deal.

The details of the deal were not immediately released.

A deal would allow May to pass legislation with the backing of the DUP in the 650-seat parliament, and stay in power as she attempts to negotiate Britain’s exit from the European Union.

But May’s position remains insecure. Her Brexit strategy is under scrutiny and her future as prime minister is the subject of public debate.

Some senior Conservatives have voiced unease at a deal with the DUP, saying it could put at risk the 1998 peace settlement in Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement. Foster said a deal with May could help drive a second deal on power sharing in the province.

Northern Ireland has been in crisis since Sinn Fein pulled out of government in January, prompting an election in March and a series of missed deadlines to restore the compulsory coalition between Irish Catholic nationalists and pro-British Protestant unionists.

“I think that this agreement will bring the prospects of doing a deal at (the Belfast parliament) Stormont closer because this will have a positive impact in relation to Northern Ireland,” Foster told Sky earlier, adding that a second deal on power sharing in the province could be reached this week too.

“I very much hope that this week we will be able to conclude on two agreements.”

The latest deadline set by the British government for the parties in Northern Ireland to reach an agreement is Thursday. Sinn Fein said last week that “time was running out” given the lack of knowledge about the impact of any Conservative/DUP deal.