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| John Major urges Theresa May to pull out of DUP deal over risk of violence returning to Northern Ireland | John Major urges Theresa May to pull out of DUP deal over risk of violence returning to Northern Ireland |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| John Major has urged Theresa May to pull out of a deal for the Democratic Unionist Party to prop her up in power, warning it risks a return of violence in Northern Ireland. | John Major has urged Theresa May to pull out of a deal for the Democratic Unionist Party to prop her up in power, warning it risks a return of violence in Northern Ireland. |
| In a dramatic intervention, the former Conservative prime minister warned the peace process is “fragile” and could fall part if the British government is no longer seen as “impartial”. | In a dramatic intervention, the former Conservative prime minister warned the peace process is “fragile” and could fall part if the British government is no longer seen as “impartial”. |
| “People shouldn’t regard it as a given. It’s not certain, it’s under stress, it’s fragile,” Sir John said. | “People shouldn’t regard it as a given. It’s not certain, it’s under stress, it’s fragile,” Sir John said. |
| He urged the Prime Minister to pursue a minority government without “the baggage” of an agreement with the DUP. | He urged the Prime Minister to pursue a minority government without “the baggage” of an agreement with the DUP. |
| And he highlighted the danger of “hard men still there, lurking in the corners of communities deciding they wish to return to some sort of violence”. | |
| “We need to do everything we conceivably can to ensure that doesn’t happen – and that does require an impartial British government,” Sir John said. | “We need to do everything we conceivably can to ensure that doesn’t happen – and that does require an impartial British government,” Sir John said. |
| While peace in Northern Ireland was not in danger of collapsing imminently, it could “unwind”. “That does worry me a great deal about the peace process,” he told BBC Radio 4. | While peace in Northern Ireland was not in danger of collapsing imminently, it could “unwind”. “That does worry me a great deal about the peace process,” he told BBC Radio 4. |
| The warning came just minutes after Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, and her deputy Nigel Dodds, arrived at No 10 for talks with the Prime Minister. | The warning came just minutes after Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, and her deputy Nigel Dodds, arrived at No 10 for talks with the Prime Minister. |
| It is expected to lead to a “confidence and supply agreement”, to give the Tories a 13-seat Commons majority with support on confidence motions and key budget votes. | It is expected to lead to a “confidence and supply agreement”, to give the Tories a 13-seat Commons majority with support on confidence motions and key budget votes. |
| But Sir John said: “I understand why she wishes to shore up her Parliamentary position. That’s entirely understandable and I sympathise - but my main concern is the peace process.” | |
| “We need to be prepared for the unexpected. We need to hope for the best – but prepare for the worst,” he added. | |
| Sir John also warned that voters in the rest of the UK would view the deal – and the inevitable extra funding to that would flow to Northern Ireland – as “cash for votes” and feel a “grievance”. | |
| “How is that going to be received in Wales, or in Scotland or amongst the “just-about-managings” everywhere across the UK?” he asked. | |
| “They would see it as the Government paying cash for votes in Parliament. And, in doing so, I think that could well cost votes in the country for the Conservative party at a subsequent election.” | |
| Sir John also warned the Prime Minister that her hard Brexit stance was “increasingly unsustainable”, with the loss of her Commons majority. | |
| He urged her to try to “negotiate a better deal on free movement” and on the EU single market, by being “more generous on immigration”. | |
| “A hard Brexit was not endorsed by the electorate,” Sir John said. | |