https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/05/pressure-grows-on-theresa-may-as-dup-reveals-brexit-shock
It always was a bad idea. Bad for the country that is and bad for democracy in the United Kingdom.The only one to benefit from the sordid backroom bribe of £1.5 billion paid to the DUP in June of this year was Theresa May herself, who has managed to cling to the office of Prime Minister with the support of the 10 MP's from Ulster. That support collapsed on Monday (4th December) as Arlene Foster appeared in front of the cameras to announce that the DUP, "will not accept any kind of regulatory divergence which separates us economically or politically from the rest of the UK" adding that, "The Republic of Ireland government is trying to unilaterally change the Belfast agreement without our input and without our consent. Of course, we will not stand for that." With those few words, the DUP in the shape of Arlene Foster its leader, effectively destroyed Theresa May's attempts to resolve the Irish border issue and move the Brexit negotiations onto the next phase and the crucial issues of the United Kingdom's future trading relations with the European Union following our departure.
Regardless of whether we as individuals voted leave or remain, or whether we agree with the government's position in the Brexit negotiations, there is a fundamental issue involved in this whole fiasco. The DUP have declared that it is they, rather than the government of the United Kingdom, who will determine the pace and the content of Brexit negotiations from here on and to an ultimate conclusion before the "Brexit Agreement" is put to Parliament for debate and final ratification.
Pressure grows on Theresa May as DUP reveals Brexit 'shock'
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Theresa May faces a difficult if not impossible task over the coming days. Firstly, she has to get the conspiratorial DUP back "on side" in support of her position as Prime Minister, and we can only speculate as to what inducements may be necessary to achieve this objective. Last June, the exercise cost the British taxpayer £1.5 billion. Secondly, May has to placate those elements within her own cabinet and party who have, since last Monday regrouped led by Gove and Johnson and are now again openly challenging her commitment to "hard Brexit" and her competence to continue in the position of leader of the party. Thirdly she has to convince Jean Claude Junker, Michel Barnier and the European Council scheduled for December 14th, that she still has the authority and government support to continue negotiations. European leaders and MP's in the Commons, have already expressed grave doubts that Theresa May will be able to deliver any form of Brexit agreement.Three tasks which are of themselves complex and probably irresolvable without a significant shift in the ingrained mental attitude of Theresa May herself which has been conspicuously absent during her tenure as Prime Minister and even before that. Moreover,a solution to any problem would have an impact on the other two which would complicate and probably negate any resolution.
There can be no compassion for Theresa May and the position that she now finds herself in. The problems she is facing are entirely of her own making and result from her intransigence over the course of her Premiership, particularly over the past 12 months and her determination to cling to office no matter what the cost.
She deserves no sympathy, nor will she receive any.
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