While Scotland's needs continue to be completely ignored at Westminster, the entire future of the UK hangs on 10 DUP MPs who represent around one in four of voters in Northern Ireland. The NI electorate totals 1,234,354 against Scotland's 4,120,000. Like Scotland, Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU although the DUP is clearly on the Leave side.
Reports in the Sunday Telegraph revealed that the price for the DUP’s support for the Prime Minister’s twice defeated deal could be the DUP being “deeply involved” in future trade negotiations with the EU.
This revelation comes on the back of an article by Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon in the Sunday Mail which warned that the fact that “10 DUP MPs currently have more influence over the future of Scotland than our own national Parliament should give every single person in across Scotland a long pause for thought about how we are governed, and how we should be governed.”
On the Andrew Marr show today, the Chancellor Philip Hammond also failed to rule out another financial "Brexit bung" to the DUP for their support for the Tory government's Brexit deal.
Commenting, Ian Blackford MP said:
“Today’s reports are extraordinary and demonstrate the depths that are being plumbed here. Not only is this discredited and shambolic Tory government willing to buy off the DUP’s support for a deal which would be bad for Scotland, it also appears to be prepared to give the DUP influence over future trade negotiations. This would be utterly indefensible, undemocratic and show once again that Scotland’s interests are being completely ignored.
“Time and time again Scotland’s voice has been side-lined throughout the Brexit process, and we now face the very real danger of Scotland’s long term future being dictated by 10 DUP MPs who hold no mandate in Scotland.
“Scotland must not be a backseat passenger as the Tories drive Scotland towards the Brexit cliff-edge.
“We are less than two weeks away from the UK’s scheduled date to leave the EU, and rather than working with all opposition parties and devolved governments to end the Brexit impasse, the Prime Minister is instead shamefully intent on buying off DUP support and flogging her dead deal to Parliament for the third time.
“It is clear that there is no such thing as a good Brexit, and all the evidence has shown that Scotland leaving the EU could result in thousands of jobs lost, a hit to the economy and our public services. That is a price that Scotland must not pay.
“Westminster is broken and it is failing Scotland, and with each day that passes it is becoming clearer than ever that the only way to properly protect our economic and social interests is with independence. Scotland deserves the chance to choose a better future than the one being carved out for us by the Tories and the DUP."