Northern Ireland

DUP sidelined as Theresa May courts Labour in bid to win support for Brexit withdrawal deal

Were Theresa May to reach an agreement with Jeremy Corbyn, she would be unlikely to need to rely on votes from the DUP 
Were Theresa May to reach an agreement with Jeremy Corbyn, she would be unlikely to need to rely on votes from the DUP  Were Theresa May to reach an agreement with Jeremy Corbyn, she would be unlikely to need to rely on votes from the DUP 

SAMMY Wilson's insistance that the DUP has not been sidelined by Theresa May as she seeks to forge a cross-party alliance with Jeremy Corbyn was last night greeted with derision by commentators and political opponents. 

The Tory leader's decision to court the Labour leader in a bid to get support for her withdrawal agreement brings an end recent negotiations between Downing Street and the DUP.

Like its allies in the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG), the DUP is now peripheral to the process, having consistently resisted Mrs May's efforts to get the party to back her deal.

The DUP is resolutely opposed to the backstop element of the withdrawal agreement, which while ensuring there is no hard border in Ireland if there were no post-Brexit trade agreement in place, would involve checks on goods coming from Britain into Northern Ireland.

A DUP statement in the aftermath of Mrs May's Tuesday evening announcement that she would be having exploratory talks with her Labour counterpart, said the Tory leader was "sub-contracting out the future of Brexit to... someone whom the Conservatives have demonised for four years".

Read More: No-deal Brexit pressure group paid DUP's Lee Reynolds for consultancy work

The party said it wanted the June 2016 referendum result respected and that the UK needed to leave the EU "as one country".

"We will continue to use our position within parliament and with the government to argue strongly the case for Northern Ireland and the integrity of the United Kingdom," the statement said.

"We remain consistent in judging all Brexit outcomes against our clear unionist principles."

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said yesterday that events at Westminster were still a "moveable feast" and that the DUP remained in an "influential position".

DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson told the BBC that his party had not been "sidestepped" and that he expected Mrs May's initiative to "fall on its face".

"She still needs us to get the withdrawal agreement through and she knows what the price of that is to get the changes to it," he said.

Colum Eastwood said the British prime minister had 'decided to ditch' the DUP. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Colum Eastwood said the British prime minister had 'decided to ditch' the DUP. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire Colum Eastwood said the British prime minister had 'decided to ditch' the DUP. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire

However, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the British prime minister had "decided to ditch" the DUP and ERG.

"It has been clear to most of us for a long time that they were never going to facilitate a softer withdrawal that includes the benefits of the backstop for communities here," the Foyle MLA said.

“For all their claims about influence over Brexit, the DUP have obviously pushed their luck too far and now they’ve handed control to Jeremy Corbyn – I doubt that was part of the game plan."

Author Jon Tonge, who wrote 'DUP: From Protest to Power', said Arlene Foster's party had been sidelined.

"Clearly the May-Corbyn axis further marginalises the DUP but then its policy of seeking changes to the legal text of the withdrawal agreement was an unrealistic, absolutist demand – it's not going to happen," he said.

"Yes, you can have can have warm words in the political declaration about a desire not to have the backstop in perpetuity but you're not going to change the legalese."

Jon Tonge said the DUP had been marginalised
Jon Tonge said the DUP had been marginalised Jon Tonge said the DUP had been marginalised

The University of Liverpool lecturer said attempting to strong arm the EU was different from negotiating with Sinn Féin.

"I suppose the DUP may have thought that this was like eye-balling Sinn Féin but this time they are taking on the EU27," he said.