Theresa May to meet DUP leader Arlene Foster after statement ‘error’

Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday began finalising her cabinet of ministers and held talks with the Democratic Unionist Party to determine the contours of the party’s support for her minority government.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said “we have made good progress but the discussions continue”.

It continued: “The talks so far have been positive”. Downing Street said details of the arrangement would be discussed at a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

On Friday, May declared her intention to lead a government with the support of the Northern Ireland MPs of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) – describing the tie-up as a government of “certainty”.

While the to-and-fro between Downing Street and the DUP was unfolding, several British newspapers were reporting that some prominent Conservatives, including foreign secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis, were being urged by supporters to challenge May for the party leadership.

Such an agreement would see the Northern Irish party’s 10 MPs support the Conservatives on crucial votes when Parliament returns next week.

The two aides had been blamed for the Conservatives’ disastrous result in Thursday’s parliamentary elections.

The DUP is a socially conservative party that opposes abortion and gay marriage, and many of its members also are sceptical about man-made climate change and reject the theory of evolution.

“I sought, and to be fair to the prime minister, received a categoric assurance that in talking to the DUP that there would be no suggestion of any rollback on LGBTI rights in the rest of the United Kingdom”, she told reporters.

A sense of turmoil has been rapidly accelerating among Brits since last week’s elections, which backfired on May and left her fighting tooth and nail for a position she had already won a year ago.

She needs to establish her position in Parliament because the Queen’s Speech – which will set out the Government’s programme – is scheduled for June 19.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he could still be prime minister, although his party has no obvious way to build a majority coalition.

May announced later that Gavin Barwell – a former housing minister who lost his seat in Thursday’s election – would be her new chief of staff.

Another former Labour Northern Ireland secretary, ex-Neath MP Peter Hain, said he also had great concerns over the impact any Conservative-DUP pact could have. “We could easily get to the middle of next week and it all collapses for her”.

The Labour leader said his party would “absolutely” ensure Brexit occurs if they secured power, with a focus on negotiating tariff-free access as part of a “jobs-first Brexit”.

The Mail On Sunday reported that Mr Johnson was preparing a leadership bid, with a close ally saying it was “go, go, go”, adding: “We need Bojo”.

“And she did not win”, said another protester.

Bearing that in mind, the interests of both Britain and the European Union would be best served by each party adopting a civilised approach to the negotiations, as failure to do so would penalise both parties. A lot of things said, a lot by people who really don’t know what we stand for.

“I don’t think throwing us into a leadership battle at this moment in time, when we are about to launch into these hard negotiations, would be in the best interests of the country”, Evans said.