DUP and Conservatives 'making progress' on deal
A DUP MP and veteran negotiator tells Sky News after the Queen's Speech that he is "confident" an agreement will be sealed.
Wednesday 21 June 2017 14:48, UK
Progress has been made in talks aimed at reaching a deal for the Democratic Unionist Party to prop up Theresa May's minority government, a DUP MP has said.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson spoke shortly after the Government set out its programme in the
"The discussions are continuing, we're making progress," he told Sky News.
"We have identified the key issues that will form part of the confidence-and-supply arrangements that we want to put in place for a five-year Parliament."
The talks have been ongoing since the Conservatives failed to win an outright parliamentary majority in the disastrous General Election on 8 June.
But a deal remains elusive - leaving Mrs May without a workable majority. The Queen's Speech was the first presented by a minority government in almost 40 years.
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On the eve of the ceremony, Sky sources said the negotiations
The DUP also urged the Government to give "greater focus".
Asked to give a percentage chance of a deal being agreed, Sir Jeffrey said: "I'm not going to take anything for granted.
"I've been negotiating in Northern Ireland and the peace process for the best part of 30 years so a seasoned negotiator never reveals his or her hand in public."
"But - he added - I'm confident we can get an agreement."
Sir Jeffrey adds his party "like a lot" of what was in the Queen's Speech, adding that Tory policies put forward during the election campaign that caused them concern are "fading into the background".
He said he did not see any possible deal breakers.
For Mrs May, negotiating the deal with the DUP is a balancing act.
Adding to the complications is the wider politics of Northern Ireland and the Government's attempts to restore the power-sharing executive at Stormont.
The Government has rejected suggestions that its commitment to act with impartiality in Northern Ireland - as set out in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement - would be undermined by a deal with the DUP.