Gina Miller wins latest challenge - Now £1BN Tory DUP deal needs parliamentary vote
GINA Miller has won a challenge against the Government meaning Theresa May’s £1billion deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) must gain parliamentary approval in a move which could frustrate Brexit.
Jeremy Corbyn jibes Theresa May over DUP deal
The Prime Minister brokered a deal with the DUP to gain support from its 10 MPs in crunch votes in parliament after Theresa May failed to win a Conservative majority in the general election.
The “confidence and supply” agreement, which included sending £1billion to Northern Ireland, was particularly important to move forward with Brexit, as controversial votes are likely to come down to the wire.
But after Ms Miller’s challenge over the legal basis for handing out the £1billion payout, which is yet to be made, the Treasury’s solicitor said it will now need to have “appropriate parliamentary authorisation”.
Replying to a legal letter from Ms Miller and the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), Jonathan Jones said the Government will use “long-established procedures, under which central government requests the grant of money by the House of Commons in order to pay out the funds".
Campaigner Mrs Miller, who won a Supreme Court challenge against the Government earlier this year to force it to hold a parliamentary vote before triggering the formal Brexit vote, said: “It beggars belief that, neither at the time the Government sealed its dubious deal with the DUP in exchange for their votes in the Commons, nor at any point since, has the Government made it clear that the £1bn of taxpayers’ money for Northern Ireland could only be handed over following parliamentary approval.”
The Government has said no date has been agreed for securing the go ahead and the cash has not been released yet.
Some MPs have said they are concerned about the DUP deal especially as much of the country has already suffered from Government cuts.
DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson blasts Ireland's border plans
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, when criticised by Theresa May in Prime Minister’s Questions last week for asking for more funding for “this that and the other”, he said: “The Prime Minister had no problems finding £1 billion to please the DUP.”
It is unlikely any Tory rebels would vote against the payment to the DUP as it would undermine the vulnerable Government.
The DUP deal is also being challenged in a crowdfunded legal case by Green Party activist Ciaran McClean as he claims it breaks the promise of impartiality in the Good Friday Agreement and breaches the Bribery Act.
The case is expected to begin hearing on October 26.
Dr Jason Moyer-Lee, general secretary of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, said: “Many IWGB members’ jobs depend on public money, like foster care workers and low-paid outsourced university staff.
"They are routinely told that there’s no money available to improve their pay, holidays and other terms and conditions they demand.”
In a letter to Mrs Miller, the government has rejected the idea that the Barnett formula, which allocates funding for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The letter said: “The government is not under a legal obligation to allocate funding to the devolved administrations only in accordance with the Barnett formula.
“The Barnett formula is a non-binding convention and it does not preclude other means of additional funding being made available.”