Senior DUP figure says chances of Tory deal are still ‘very good’ and dismisses £2bn price tag for their support
Theresa May boosted after Northern Irish party set to sign on the dotted line before next week’s crucial Queen’s Speech vote
A SENIOR DUP figure has suggested chances of a deal with the Tories are still “very good” as he dismissed claims the party want £2billion for Northern Ireland in return.
Theresa May’s chances of keeping her minority Government afloat have been boosted by the news the party is set to sign on the dotted line before next week’s crucial Queen’s Speech vote.
The Prime Minister needs their 10 MPs to vote with the Conservatives in the House of Commons to pass her legislative agenda after losing her majority at the snap election.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP chief whip at Westminster, confirmed they were seeking a raft of extra funding for the province in exchange for their support.
But the MP for Lagan Valley denied reprtes yesterday the price of that would be £1billion for the NHS and a further £1billion of infrastructure spending.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "The figures that are being bandied about are way wide of the mark.
"What we are asking for is recognition by the Government that after 30 years of a very violent conflict in Northern Ireland when the capital resources were spent on security - on police stations, fortifications, military establishments - our infrastructure fell well behind the rest of the United Kingdom. So what we are asking for is some help to make up that deficit."
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But Sir Jeffrey hinted the DUP had already secured concessions, with Conservative manifesto pledges to end the triple lock for pensioners and means testing for the winter fuel allowance being omitted from the Queen's Speech.
He said: "We are interested in a deal that benefits the UK as a whole. What we certainly don't want to see is pensioners and the more vulnerable being affected. If what we do benefits people across the United Kingdom then as a unionist party that is something we are proud of."
Asked about the chances of an agreement before next week's Commons vote on the Queen's Speech, Sir Jeffrey said: "I think very good. The sooner the better as far as we are concerned
"The Prime Minister is moving this process, the agreement process, forward.
"She's engaged now and we welcome that and I think that since that has happened we have been moving forward."
But hinting the DUP are driving a hard bargain, Mr Donaldson added: "I'll say this about Ulster men and Ulster women, we are no pushover.”
Philip Hammond has said this morning he is confident Mrs May will still strike a deal despite almost a fortnight of stalled negotiations.
The Chancellor told the same programme: "I am confident that we will be able to come to an arrangement with them to support the government in the key areas of its programme.”
He said two parties were in agreement on many issues, adding: "We don't agree on everything but on the big issues about the union, about the need to grow our economy and to spread the benefits of that growth across all corners of the United Kingdom.
“On the need to be strong on defence and counter-terrorism - and all of these important areas we agree."