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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/09/from-climate-denial-to-abortion-heres-six-dup-policies-you-should-know-about
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| From climate denial to abortion: six DUP policies you should know about | From climate denial to abortion: six DUP policies you should know about |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May’s new allies in government, Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, are in favour of soft Brexit, wish to maintain a porous border with the Irish republic but also hold illiberal positions on abortion and gay rights . | |
| The party, which gained two members in the general election, has not yet outlined what it might want from a formal deal with the Tories – but speaking outside Downing Street the prime minister said that she could rely on her party’s “friends and allies” from the party founded by Ian Paisley Sr. | |
| Brexit and the Irish border | Brexit and the Irish border |
| The DUP campaigned for Brexit but its manifesto argues for maintaining a “seamless and frictionless” border with Ireland. Objectives for the forthcoming Brexit negotiations include maintaining the Common Travel Area with the Republic and ease of trade throughout the European Union. | The DUP campaigned for Brexit but its manifesto argues for maintaining a “seamless and frictionless” border with Ireland. Objectives for the forthcoming Brexit negotiations include maintaining the Common Travel Area with the Republic and ease of trade throughout the European Union. |
| Welfare spending | Welfare spending |
| Their manifesto retains the pensions triple lock and universal winter fuel allowance – policies that the Tories said they would drop. | Their manifesto retains the pensions triple lock and universal winter fuel allowance – policies that the Tories said they would drop. |
| Opposition to same sex marriage | Opposition to same sex marriage |
| While the party has radically changed since being set up by Paisley senior, it has maintained at its core an opposition to socially liberal changes which have taken place on the UK mainland. | |
| Northern Ireland is the only remaining part of the UK where same-sex marriage is not legal after the DUP used a controversial veto mechanism to block any change to legislation. Senior figures in the party have called the issue a “red line” for power sharing talks at Stormont. | Northern Ireland is the only remaining part of the UK where same-sex marriage is not legal after the DUP used a controversial veto mechanism to block any change to legislation. Senior figures in the party have called the issue a “red line” for power sharing talks at Stormont. |
| Anti-abortion | Anti-abortion |
| The DUP has also fought hard to halt an extension of abortion rights to Northern Ireland. Campaigners say their actions have forced thousands of Northern Irish women to travel for terminations elsewhere, or to rely on abortion pills bought online. | The DUP has also fought hard to halt an extension of abortion rights to Northern Ireland. Campaigners say their actions have forced thousands of Northern Irish women to travel for terminations elsewhere, or to rely on abortion pills bought online. |
| Climate denial | Climate denial |
| While climate change scepticism is not official party policy, the DUP has previously appointed a denier as environment minister in Northern Ireland, and it counts a number of creationists among its senior members. | While climate change scepticism is not official party policy, the DUP has previously appointed a denier as environment minister in Northern Ireland, and it counts a number of creationists among its senior members. |
| Leadership | Leadership |
| Much focus will now fall upon the party’s leader Arlene Foster, a tough character whose politics were influenced by the Troubles. At the age of eight, her father, a part-time policeman, was shot and injured by the IRA on the family farm. | Much focus will now fall upon the party’s leader Arlene Foster, a tough character whose politics were influenced by the Troubles. At the age of eight, her father, a part-time policeman, was shot and injured by the IRA on the family farm. |
| When she was a teenager in 1988, a bomb exploded under her school bus as it was being driven by a part-time soldier in the Army’s Ulster Defence Regiment. | When she was a teenager in 1988, a bomb exploded under her school bus as it was being driven by a part-time soldier in the Army’s Ulster Defence Regiment. |
| She came to prominence over the “cash for ash” scandal, having overseen a government programme that misused public funds. She denied any wrongdoing. | |
| Following the election result, she told Radio Ulster: “It’s too soon to say what we’re going to do yet. I think we need to see the final make up of Parliament and then we’ll reflect on that. | Following the election result, she told Radio Ulster: “It’s too soon to say what we’re going to do yet. I think we need to see the final make up of Parliament and then we’ll reflect on that. |
| “I certainly think that there will be contact made over the weekend but I think it is too soon to talk about what we’re going to do.” | “I certainly think that there will be contact made over the weekend but I think it is too soon to talk about what we’re going to do.” |