NORTHERN Ireland will continue to receive the £1 billion funding package promised as part of the controversial deal between the DUP and the Tories even if the pact collapses, The National can reveal.
The move is a fresh embarrassment to the Prime Minister who is struggling to get her draft Brexit withdrawal agreement through Westminster.
READ MORE: Why is DUP support so important to Theresa May and the Conservatives?
May struck a “confidence and supply” arrangement with the 10 DUP MPs after she lost her majority following the snap election in June 2017.
The DUP agreed to support the Government on all key votes (such as the Queen’s speech and key financial legislation) and the Government agreed to provide the Northern Ireland executive with additional financial support; which amounted to an extra £1bn over five years.
But it now seems the pact is on shaky ground after several DUP MPs voted in support of a Labour Budget amendment on Monday evening after criticising the special arrangements for Northern Ireland included in the draft withdrawal agreement.
The £1bn was described as a “bung” by the SNP when it was announced and provoked fury north of the Border. Scotland got no extra money as the deal was arranged outwith the standard financial arrangements for the devolved nations.
READ MORE: The DUP haven't learned their lesson – never trust the Tories
Sensitive to the criticism, the UK Government announced the money was being given in recognition of Northern Ireland’s troubled history and was published separately from the political pact with the DUP. It will still stand even if the latter crumbles.
“The document regarding additional financial support to Northern Ireland states the justification for the support without mentioning the confidence and supply agreement: The UK Government […] recognises the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland’s history and the effect this has had on its economy and people from all parts of the community, while recognising too the need to be fair to all parts of the United Kingdom,” a Commons Library briefing published last year explained.
“Following discussions between [the DUP and the Conservatives], and in order to support their shared objectives of strengthening the economy, the UK Government is prepared to make available additional financial support to the power-sharing executive.”
Pete Wishart: The Tories have been 'sold a pup' by the DUP
Pete Wishart, the SNP MP, said the UK Government had been caught out by the DUP.
“The UK Government should have ensured there was some small print in the arrangement they made with the DUP which ensured money would be returned to the Treasury if the DUP failed to support the Government,” he said. “But they didn’t do that as they were sensitive to the criticism that the money was a bribe in return for DUP support. Now the UK Government have been utterly caught out. They have given the money to Northern Ireland and it seems they haven’t got the continued support of the DUP to get their business through the House of Commons. They were sold a pup by the DUP and the DUP have run rings round them.”
From the extra £1bn, Northern Ireland received £20m during 2017/18 and will get £410m over the course of this year. A Commons briefing published yesterday said: “The funding was provided for the following areas: £80m for immediate health and education (day-to-day spending) ... £30m to address mental health and severe deprivation (day-to-day spending), £100m for health transformation (day-to-day spending), £200, for infrastructure (investment spending). This leaves £570m still to be drawn down.”
A spokesman for Downing Street said it would not comment on hypothetical situations, while the DUP did not respond to The National for a comment. After Monday’s vote, DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds made clear his party was ready to continue voting against the Government and called on May to ditch her proposals and “work for a better deal”.
Dodds said the agreement with the Tories committed the DUP to pursue the shared objectives of strengthening the Union and seeking a Brexit that benefits all parts of the UK.
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