Are you prepared to risk it

Posted by Jim on May 22, 2018

DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr delivered a stern warning to Theresa May over the Irish border issue, batting away a question about whether his party is prepared to bring down her government with a fierce message for the PM.

The MP for North Antrim dismissed suggestions that the DUP’s leverage in Brexit negotiations rests on an empty threat to bring down Theresa May‘s government and let Jeremy Corbyn into power.

Mr Paisley made his comments in a Channel 4 News interview about Brexit and the Irish border issue.

Host Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked: “Is it credible that the DUP would ease Jeremy Corbyn into power?”

Mr Paisley coolly replied: “Are you prepared to risk it?”When Mr Murthy asked “Is that what you said to Theresa May?” Mr Paisley simply repeated his answer twice more.

But the DUP MP refrained from directly calling out the Prime Minister, adding: “I don’t have to threaten Theresa May.

“Theresa May’s a unionist. Theresa May gets this, to be fair to the Prime Minister.

“Behind closed doors the relationship between the DUP and the Conservative Party is an excellent relationship.

“We understand each other, understand each other’s needs and know where we need to be for the entirety of the United Kingdom.”

Earlier in the interview, Mr Paisley offered a robust defence of Brexit negotiations and slammed Remainers for attempting to sow division in Ireland over the border issue.

He said: “Trying to play off the Northern Ireland issue for purely sectarian and divisive reasons, as has happened in Northern Ireland with some parties and has happened with the Republic of Ireland trying to do that, is completely and totally wrong, and in fact futile.

“There’s a lot of people who see clearly through that.

The issue of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Britain leaves the EU remains a bitterly divisive one that is yet to be resolved.