Here’s why
The former Conservative prime minister, Sir John Major has cited his concerns over the Northern Ireland peace process urging Theresa May to walk away from doing any deal with the DUP.
Sir John who was instrumental to end the IRA conflict in Northern Ireland spoke to BBC Radio 4’s World at one programme and warned that about “hard men, lurking in the corners of the communities” saying that “that they wish to return to some sort of violence.”
“People regard the peace process which was very hard earned over very many years by a lot of people, people shouldn’t regard it as a given, it isn’t certain, it is under stress, it is fragile.
“Although I don’t expect it suddenly to collapse, because there’s a broad consensus that wishes it to continue, I think we have to take care with it and take care that everything we do does not exaggerate the underlying differences that still are there in the Northern Ireland community.”
Sir John said he was “concerned” about the DUP deal, and said he is “wary” and “dubious” about the deal “both for peace process reasons but also for others reasons as well.”
“A fundamental part of that peace process is that the UK government needs to be impartial between all the competing interests in Northern Ireland.”
“The danger is that however much any government tries they will not be seen to be impartial if they are locked into a parliamentary deal at Westminster with one of the Northern Ireland parties, and you never know in what unpredictable way events will turn out, and we cannot know if that impartiality is going to be crucial at some stage in the future.”
Sir John said he want May to “succeed and stay” as the PM and understands clearly why she is doing the deal with the DUP however, his “main concern” is the Northern Ireland peace process.
Sir John spoke to just before the leader of the DUP party, Arlene Foster arrived at Number 10 Downing Street.
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