It’s now been revealed that the commons will only vote after parts of the money has been allocated to the DUP for Northern Ireland. The campaigner who took legal action to get parliamentary consent to begin the Brexit negotiations has said she will set a judicial review of the arrangement. Sputnik spoke to political commentator Jerry Hicks about the implications this could have on the UK government.
Sputnik: What do you make of the reports that Theresa May could give money to the DUP without MP’’S approval?
Jerry Hicks: I’ll admit I thought it was all done and dusted. I thought the whole, what you get for a billion pounds now on the high street, well 12 DUP votes was over. I’m very pleased it’s not and it’s being challenged. For me its pounds for votes and that’s fraud.
Sputnik: If this goes ahead could we see another legal challenge by Gina Miller & could the government lose again?
Jerry Hicks: I hope so, anything that deteriorates this nasty horrid tory government is music to my ears, but the real point of this is what they are doing is wrong and I’m glad some’s challenging it. It’s Gina Miller but anybody I’d be pleased challenging it.
The whole Tory hard Brexit philosophy was to return sovereignty to the British parliament and yet they can feel they can just splash this magic money tree not on the NHS or public services or social housing or even to rid the country of homelessness, no they give a billion pounds for 12 votes from the DUP to prop them up to get them through. It’s wrong, I’m glad it’s being challenged.
Sputnik: Vince Cable says it’s threatening the Good Friday agreement, but could this put the whole of the government at risk if it all falls apart?
Jerry Hicks: It’s difficult to say, I believe in a united Ireland, so I don’t know where that puts me except an international socialist. I think the billion pounds for the 12 votes to prop up the Westminster based Tories are going to create problems. Today we had Boris Johnson likening the border issues post Brexit with the congestion charge, the Tories really don’t care much about Northern Ireland or Uniting Ireland or anything else, all they care about is themselves and buying time and buying votes and staying in power and my view is its disgraceful as that. I would hope any politician, would not look at the pounds and pence, but they’d look at what’s right and wrong.
The DUP shouldn’t vote with the Tories simply on the basis of a billion pounds even though that is the agreement. No the DUP should be voting with their own views and moral conscience. It could bring about a defeat for Theresa May led Tory government.
The views and opinions expressed by Jerry Hicks are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.