Scotland, Wales outraged at £1bn deal to keep May in power
British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing backlash from Scotland and Wales over her deal with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), aimed at securing her grip on power.
DUP leader Arlene Foster agreed to a confidence and supply arrangement on Monday in exchange for £1 billion as well as relaxed spending rules for another £500 million previously committed.
The agreement was described as a “straight bung to keep a weak prime minister and a faltering government in office” by the Labour first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured above) also voiced outrage over the “shameless deal.”
“In concluding this grubby, shameless deal the Tories have shown that they will stop at nothing to hold on to power – even sacrificing the very basic principles of devolution,” she said.
Sturgeon voiced anger at the British government’s violation of the Barnett formula, designed to distribute funds fairly between devolved nations.
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Tory leader in Scotland, Ruth Davidson, defended the deal, saying, “It’s absurd for the SNP [Scottish National Party] to criticize UK government spending on top of Barnett in Northern Ireland, when the exact same thing happens in Scotland.”
May’s deal will secure the DUP’s support for a vote this week on the Conservatives’ Queen’s speech.
The governing agreement was announced two weeks after the prime minister’s party lost its parliamentary majority in the botched June 8 snap election.
According to the deal, “Both parties will adhere fully to their respective commitments set out in the Belfast agreement and its successors.”
Apart from the vote, the DUP is required to back any confidence motions as well as future budgets and tax and spending legislation.
“DUP will be back for more ... again and again. They have previous in such matters,” said the former permanent secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury, Nick Macpherson, in a tweet.
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