General election 2017: May strikes deal with DUP to form UK government - live

[brooklynite]

Source: The Guardian

Theresa May has struck a deal with the Democratic Unionists that will allow her to form a government, sources have confirmed.

The prime minister is expected to see the Queen at 1230pm to confirm that a deal is in place.

It follows extensive talks with the DUP late into the night. Party figures say they have been driven on this morning by their dismay at the possibility of Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister.

DUP figures insist that their relationship with May’s team has been close since she became prime minister 11 months ago.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/jun/09/election-2017-theresa-may-speaks-outside-downing-street-after-shock-result-hunh-parliament-live

[rurallib]

1. doesn't look like that gives her much breathing room

If I read it right she needs 326 to govern and the DUP brings it up to 328.

Someone said yesterday there would be new elections this fall - they may be right.

Wonder where this leaves Brexit?

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Effectively, she needs 322 - 7 Sinn Fein MPs, and the speaker, don't vote

(Sinn Fein won't take the oath/affirmation of loyalty to the crown). But it does still leave things very close. If she tried something too right wing (eg on Brexit), it would only take a few centrist Tories for her to lose a vote. It may mean that her idea that "no deal with the EU at all" would be acceptable goes out the window. But, as you say, another election before the end of the 2 year negotiating period is quite likely.

[Igel]

3. Commentators seem a bit split.

Some are happy their side won and can't see any possible downside. If Britain has a weaker position, it's good for national sovereignty and democracy because the EU has a stronger hand. Presumably so the popularly elected officials doing the negotiating for the EU can do a better job in defending Britain's sovereignty and national interests (but now I'm just being snarky).

Others say that this makes any representation weaker, making for a weaker position so that the EU's hand is strengthened to help impose the interests of the other 27 countries on Britain.

[Blue_Tires]

4. So... What the hell happened to all those

"May is going to strengthen her power in a landslide" pundits?

[T_i_B]

12. Bad tory campaign, bad tory manifesto

[arenean]

5. Twittter response

Saw this on Twitter....


Just seen someone describe the DUP manifesto as "basically just the bible, with fortnightly bin collections"

[geek tragedy]

6. For those who don't know, the DUP makes UKIP look like solid progressives nt

[hatrack]

7. They look horrifying, from Paisley down to the paramilitaries . . .

Oh, and btw, wasn't the PM campaigning on how Corbyn was "soft on terrorists"?

If so, then WTF is she doing holding hands with DUP, other than embarassing herself?

[geek tragedy]

8. May's complete lack of principles did not go unnoticed by voters nt

[T_i_B]

11. Yep.

Add in a big dose of evasiveness, arrogance, aloofness and a tendency to robotically repeat trite soundbites and it becomes easy to see why the attempt to make this election about a personal mandate for Theresa May to do whatever she likes backfired.

[RhodeIslandOne]

9. The DUP are disgusting

They vocalize shit even the biggest assholes in GOP don't say publicly.

[Txbluedog]

10. So May is going to try to govern in tandem with domestic terrorists?

[Denzil_DC]

13. Word is that May announced the deal publicly before it had actually been made.

She now has to give the DUP anything they want. Otherwise she can't form the government she intended.

It gets worse: a Tory emissary is currently trying to negotiate a full coalition with the DUP rather than a less formal alliance, because the Tories don't want to be hostage to any further demands the DUP might make in exchange for their votes in future. Doesn't make much sense to me, but there you have it.

[T_i_B]

14. What was that the Tories were saying about "strong and stable" again?

[Denzil_DC]

15. "Palling around with terrorists",

"in the pocket of the leader of a party from one of the dominions", "coalition of chaos" ...

I can barely think of a jibe May hasn't thrown Corbyn and Labour's way that can't be lobbed square back at her!

The coalition kite seems to have fallen by the wayside - perhaps not least because the DUP saw what happened to the Lib Dems, but also because they may not want to identify too closely with the Tories at Westminster because of the optics at home



(that poster was from 2010) and the general mess that's gathering round May, who might not even be in office by Tuesday's DUP meeting if tomorrow's meeting with the 1922 Committee goes badly.

Apparently many Tory MPs have been besieged with calls and emails from constituents objecting in the strongest terms to the proposed association (mainly on the gay rights issues), and they seem very uncomfortable trying to defend it on the few occasions they've been interviewed (the Scottish Tories are in hiding today after all their bluster before the weekend, or perhaps they've developed a newfound respect for the Sabbath).

I noticed that in one of her speeches on the day after the election, May referred to "the Conservative and Unionist Party" - their Sunday best name, and one that's not that unusual to hear and see in Scotland, but not one I recall a Tory Prime Minister using much in the past.