Theresa May faces backlash over £1bn DUP 'bung' to keep her in Downing Street
3 min read
Theresa May has been accused of giving the DUP a £1bn "bung" in order to cling onto office.
The attack came after the Conservatives agreed a so-called "confidence and supply" deal which will see the Northern Ireland party back the Government on key votes.
The Prime Minister said the agreement will enable the parties "to work together in the interest of the whole United Kingdom".
But both Wales and Scotland said any extra cash for Northern Ireland should also see increased public spending there through the Barnett Formula.
Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "Today’s deal represents a straight bung to keep a weak Prime Minister and a faltering government in office.
"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."
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon condemned the "grubby DUP deal".
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: "For years the Tories have been cutting budgets and services, but suddenly they have found a magic money tree to help them stay in power.
"SNP MPs will demand Scotland gets it fair share of any funding that is going to Northern Ireland – the Scottish Tory MPs should join us in standing up for Scotland and making sure that we get our fair share."
But government sources insisted that the Barnett Formula only applied when there is extra public spending in England, meaning the extra spending in Northern Ireland would have no knock-on consequences for Scotland and Wales.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The Government must immediately answer two questions. Where is the money for the Tory-DUP deal coming from? And, will all parts of the UK receive the much needed additional funding that Northern Ireland will get as part of the deal?
"This Tory-DUP deal is clearly not in the national interest but in May's party's interest to help her cling to power."
Former Tory Cabinet heavyweight Lord Hesletine also condemned the deal.
He said: "This is a deeply divided country and singling out one part of it in order to give a semblance of short-term stability is just one more of the prices we are paying for the consequences of Brexit."
But First Secretary of State Damian Green, who helped broker the deal, said: "This is a good deal for the whole of Northern Ireland. Everyone from all political persuasions in Northern Ireland can benefit from this deal and the Northern Ireland Executive can decide how best to spend this money."
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