Theresa May Paid $1.6 Billion to Form a Coalition
The British Prime Minister and Conservative leader Theresa May reached an agreement with the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland Arlene Foster and enlisted the support they needed on the eve of an important vote in parliament. May agreed to increase spending in the province by 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) over two years, while the DUP agreed to support May on her budget, Brexit laws, national security and her overall legislative plan, ABC reports.
"We decided to support the conservative government, today we reached an agreement on government support in the parliament," Foster told journalists after signing. She added, that this agreement will serve to ensure the stability of the UK Government, as well as in the national interest.
May said in her turn, that this would enable them to work together in the interests of the whole United Kingdom, BBC reports.
It should be recalled that after the early parliamentary elections in Britain, the ruling Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority, so to form the government, the Conservative Party had to form a coalition with one of the parliamentary factions. Their choice fell on DUP.
Negotiations on forming a coalition lasted more than two weeks, after the failed elections for the Conservatives in the Parliament. After the meeting with Queen Elizabeth II, May announced that the Conservative Party will form a government with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland. It is interesting, that at the same time the Unionists have a lot of contradictions with the Conservatives. For example, the DUP opposes same-sex marriage and abortion - abortion remains illegal in Northern Ireland, except in specific medical cases. Ruth Davidson, the Conservative leader in Scotland, is gay and plans to marry his partner and had sought a guarantee from May that any deal would not affect gay rights. Many in Scotland and Wales are also concerned about special financial deals being struck for Northern Ireland.
Today DUP deal dominates front pages of many British newspapers with different headlines and the pictures of Theresa May and Arlene Foster after the DUP leader reached an agreement to support a minority Conservative government.
"Thanks a billion," is the i's headline, referring to the financial benefits that Northern Ireland will receive in the deal.
The Daily Mirror calls their photo a "handshake of shame" and accuses the prime minster of "blowing taxpayers money" with a "£1bn bribe to crackpots" to keep herself in power. Its editorial concludes it "cements her place in history as the worst prime minister".
The editorial in the Financial Times describes the deal as "squalid" and says Mrs May is now a prime minister "held to ransom by the DUP" - but it goes on to add that she has come up with "the least worst option to stay in power".
The Daily Telegraph says the money heading to Northern Ireland could be "just the start" and reports that the DUP has already hinted they will ask for more when the deal is renewed in two years time.
However, the support of the DUP, added to the Tories' 317 MPs, means May passes the 326 figure needed for an overall Commons majority under a "confidence and supply" arrangement planned to last until 2022. Now the cabinet of ministers in the new composition is to determine the fate of Great Britain during and after Brexit.
Let’s note, that the United Kingdom has had several coalition governments throughout its history:
Aberdeen ministry, the British government led by Lord Aberdeen from 1852 to 1855
Fourth Asquith ministry, the British government led by H. H. Asquith from 1915 to 1916
Lloyd George ministry, the British government led by David Lloyd George from 1916 to 1922
Churchill war ministry,the British government led by Winston Churchill from 1940 to 1945
Cameron-Clegg coalition, the British government led by David Cameron from 2010 to 2015
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