May seals deal with DUP to secure working majority in British parliament
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E-mail Xinhua, June 26, 2017
The Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionists has signed a deal with the Conservatives to support Prime Minister Theresa May's minority government, BBC reported Monday.
Sources close to the negotiations say about one billion pounds (1.27 billion U.S. dollars) in concessions have been made to Northern Ireland's largest party in exchange for support from its 10 MPs on key votes in the House of Commons.
The agreement was signed inside Downing Street by Tory chief whip Gavin Williamson and the DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, while party leaders Theresa May and Arlene Foster watched on.
The agreement also comes just days before a crucial vote in the House of Commons on the Queen's Speech, which last week set out government measures in the coming session of parliament. A failure to win the vote Thursday could threaten May's government and even lead to a new general election.
May won 318 seats in this month's snap election, eight short of the 326 seats needed to guarantee a majority. The so-called confidence and supply deal between the Conservatives and the DUP, which has 10 MPs at Westminster, will prop up May's government with a slender, but working majority.
The deal will ensure DUP support if any of the opposition parties attempt to move a vote of no confidence in May or her government, as well as guaranteeing support for budget matters.
The two sides have been engaged in talks about a deal since the June 8 election when May lost her overall majority, resulting in her leading a minority government.
May and DUP leader Foster shook hands as she and other senior party figures arrived at Downing Street on Monday morning to finalize the pact.
May, welcoming the deal, said the two sides share many values in terms of wanting to see prosperity across Britain, the value of the union, the important bond between the different parts of the United Kingdom.
"The agreement we have come is a very, very good one," said May.
DUP leader Foster said: "We're delighted that we have reached this agreement, which I think works, obviously, for national stability. In terms of the Northern Ireland executive, of course we are determined to see it back in place as soon as possible as well, because we believe we need a strong voice for Northern Ireland when dealing not least with the Brexit issue."
Speaking outside Downing Street, Foster said as a result of the deal there will be further financial support for Northern Ireland worth 1 billion pounds over the next two years to boost the region's economy and invest in new infrastructure.
The deal may yet impact on a June 29 deadline for the DUP and Sinn Fein, the pro-republican party in Northern Ireland, to bury their differences to enable the re-establishment of the devolved assembly in Belfast.
Failure by the political parties in Northern Ireland to agree to setting up an executive by 4 p.m. Thursday could lead to rule of the region reverting to Westminster.
Northern Ireland won the right to self-governance as part of a peace treaty that brought to an end three decades of troubles between republican and unionist factions.
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