:00:00. > :00:08.Is the deal between the Conservative Party and the DUP on or off?
:00:09. > :00:13.And can an agreement to get Stormont up and running again be done
:00:14. > :00:16.by the deadline that's been set for two week's time?
:00:17. > :00:36.Tonight The View has come to London looking for answers.
:00:37. > :00:40.Tonight we're in London to report on today's meetings
:00:41. > :00:43.between the Northern Ireland parties and the Prime Minister.
:00:44. > :00:45.Can the devolved institutions be brought back to life
:00:46. > :00:49.And what's the status of that arrangement
:00:50. > :01:01.the Ulster Unionists and Alliance - and we'll hear too from
:01:02. > :01:16.Sinn Fein has made its annoyance at the prospect of a deal
:01:17. > :01:18.between Theresa May and Arlene Foster abundantly clear.
:01:19. > :01:20.The party's President, Gerry Adams, met the Prime Minister
:01:21. > :01:23.in Downing Street late this afternoon - and before he went
:01:24. > :01:35.into that meeting I asked him to talk me through his main concerns.
:01:36. > :01:44.I asked to outline main concerns. This Government has been
:01:45. > :01:50.consistently in default of the Good Friday Agreement. We expressed that.
:01:51. > :01:54.Our concerns are in relation to Brexit. We argued for a designated
:01:55. > :02:01.status for the north. Our concerns are that we need a criteria for a
:02:02. > :02:05.referendum on Irish unity, that is clearly part of the Good Friday
:02:06. > :02:11.Agreement, given that the Unionist majority has dipped below 50%, that
:02:12. > :02:16.is clearly part of any criteria that there should be a referendum. And
:02:17. > :02:22.Michelle O'Neill has consistently raised the need for institutions to
:02:23. > :02:26.be viable which means they have to have capacity, be properly resourced
:02:27. > :02:32.and funded, and we also pointed out that we will oppose any deal with
:02:33. > :02:36.the DUP which undermines the Good Friday Agreement.
:02:37. > :02:41.It looks like some kind of deal between the DUP and the
:02:42. > :02:45.Conservatives to keep Theresa May at number ten is in the offing and is
:02:46. > :02:49.nothing you can do about that, you have to accept that? We don't have
:02:50. > :02:55.to accept anything. We have to work for all the people in Ireland, but
:02:56. > :03:00.particularly those whom we represent from the north of Ireland and that
:03:01. > :03:04.is our focus and we have consistently argued and we continue
:03:05. > :03:08.to argue for a proper resources and financing of the institutions. We
:03:09. > :03:14.made the point with Theresa May that she has to publicise any deal and
:03:15. > :03:18.she gives a commitment that she would stop she said there would be
:03:19. > :03:22.no under the table deals, whatever it is agreed would be open and
:03:23. > :03:27.transparent, that is good news that Mac that is if you believe that. Do
:03:28. > :03:33.you not believe it? We will have to see. The institutions are down.
:03:34. > :03:38.Institutions could be put in place in a day. The issues which are
:03:39. > :03:42.outstanding are already subject to previous agreements. I want to ask
:03:43. > :03:45.you about Arlene Foster because that is not the previous Agreement, you
:03:46. > :03:54.unilaterally and Sinn Fein have decided they don't want to work with
:03:55. > :03:57.Arlene Foster and Government this side of an RHI report, are you
:03:58. > :04:02.prepared to be flexible on that now that she has a thumping mandate
:04:03. > :04:07.after the election? We have a thumping mandate also. So has she. I
:04:08. > :04:10.am not disputing that. I think I fitted them last week, but it is
:04:11. > :04:15.hoped the user. Arlene Foster needs to understand that that is to be
:04:16. > :04:23.good governments, that you can't have that kind of scandal, and the
:04:24. > :04:28.lying Minister, and she has been accused by a member of her own
:04:29. > :04:32.party, of all sorts of corrupt activities. That is an allegation.
:04:33. > :04:37.Yes, that is an allegation that a besotted that during the inquiry. I
:04:38. > :04:42.have never subscribed to that. Why have you got that red playing?
:04:43. > :04:47.Because people need to know that those they elected to serve them are
:04:48. > :04:51.going to be accountable. Isn't the place to sort that out the inquiry
:04:52. > :04:57.which is going to be taking place in the autumn? You are prejudging the
:04:58. > :05:03.outcome of that. We are not prejudging the outcome of the
:05:04. > :05:09.inquiry. We are asking for all of us in positions of power to be
:05:10. > :05:14.contract, accountable to the people who depend on us. That is so much
:05:15. > :05:19.money is wasted or misspent and we don't know the outcome of all of
:05:20. > :05:25.that, if this was a minister here, they wouldn't last one day. She said
:05:26. > :05:28.in the past there were issues going over the last few years but she
:05:29. > :05:32.could have collapsed the executive when allegations were made about
:05:33. > :05:36.Sinn Fein or of members of Sinn Fein. She chose not to do that. And
:05:37. > :05:43.she does not like the fact that you are using this issue to keep the
:05:44. > :05:48.institution closed down. We are not. We discussed very important issues
:05:49. > :05:52.here. This issue, you have chosen to make the main item on our discussion
:05:53. > :06:00.today, not me. Our position is clear and we have set this out. Arlene
:06:01. > :06:08.Foster was one of the ministers that Martin McGuinness worked with. Ian
:06:09. > :06:12.Paisley, Peter Robinson, and Arlene Foster. For Martin McGuinness to
:06:13. > :06:18.resign was a very serious step for him. The issues that he set out need
:06:19. > :06:24.to be resolved. Where Ari with James Brokenshire continuing with these
:06:25. > :06:33.talks? There -- where are we with James Brokenshire? What talks has he
:06:34. > :06:45.cheered? Who is chairing them at the moment? I am telling you that he has
:06:46. > :06:51.never chaired the talks. How could anyone have any confidence in the
:06:52. > :06:56.so-called neutrality of the British Government. The British Government
:06:57. > :07:01.are not referees. We deal with James Brokenshire but he has to bring
:07:02. > :07:04.issues to the table. There are big legacy issues which will continue to
:07:05. > :07:07.bedevil the future because the British Government will not deal
:07:08. > :07:11.with the past in the way they please to do in previous agreements. A lot
:07:12. > :07:14.of people believe that you hold the key to the Stormont institutions
:07:15. > :07:19.getting back up and running again. I don't know that is the case or not.
:07:20. > :07:22.You say you want them up and running again as soon as possible, you said
:07:23. > :07:31.the other day you want to see the map and running because is the best
:07:32. > :07:33.liver Sinn Fein to deliver a united Ireland, was that the softening of
:07:34. > :07:36.your position, preparing the ground to alter your position, to change
:07:37. > :07:38.tack and get them back up and running? There is consistency in our
:07:39. > :07:42.position. As they are, because you collapsed them a few months ago, no
:07:43. > :07:49.people think you have changed your mind. No, we always wanted them up
:07:50. > :07:53.and running, but with respect, with integrity, with tolerance, with good
:07:54. > :07:57.manners, on the basis they were established in the first instance.
:07:58. > :08:00.What are the chances of that in the short term? You see it could be done
:08:01. > :08:04.within a day. What are the chances of that? That is the question have
:08:05. > :08:07.to be to all the parties and the two governments. Every time I asked
:08:08. > :08:11.somebody that they tell me they could put that up tomorrow but
:08:12. > :08:15.nobody seems to illustrate any kind of compromise that would be
:08:16. > :08:30.necessary. How can you compromise on an Agreement that hasn't been made?
:08:31. > :08:35.Life will go on. Those who want not to speak Irish will not have to
:08:36. > :08:41.speak Irish, but all of our lives will be enriched. The Bill of
:08:42. > :08:44.rights, that is for everybody. Decency and manners, one to the
:08:45. > :08:49.other, we can also better manners, I include myself in that. We can all
:08:50. > :08:53.be shown better manners. The Unionists will see that you are
:08:54. > :08:59.cherry picking. They will point to all kinds of things that members of
:09:00. > :09:02.Sinn Fein said, and events that members of Sinn Fein attended, and
:09:03. > :09:09.say that is not treating them with respect and integrity. My view is
:09:10. > :09:15.that Arlene Foster knows that Sinn Fein want to be back in the
:09:16. > :09:19.institutions. She knows that, when she acknowledges that is another
:09:20. > :09:25.issue. She also knows the basis on which that can happen. It is not a
:09:26. > :09:28.wish list. It is not a radical Republican agenda. It is the subject
:09:29. > :09:32.of previous agreements which will enhance the lives of everyone.
:09:33. > :09:40.The Conservative MP Bob Stewart sat on the Commons Select Committee
:09:41. > :09:43.on Northern Ireland and the Defence Committee.
:09:44. > :09:49.Do you see fresh and fearless coming from when it says it is not
:09:50. > :09:55.comfortable at the prospect a deal between the DUP and your party to
:09:56. > :10:01.keep Theresa May in Downing Street? I understand that that that is a
:10:02. > :10:04.Chinese wall, the DUP will not be importing Northern Ireland politics
:10:05. > :10:08.into the mainland, and secondly I don't trust anything that Gerry
:10:09. > :10:13.Adams says at all. I think the Government will actually separate
:10:14. > :10:17.out. Doesn't that continue to be the case that that this deal happens it
:10:18. > :10:22.fundamentally undermines their rigorous impartiality that the Good
:10:23. > :10:26.Friday Agreement required from the British and Irish governments and
:10:27. > :10:34.his dealings and Northern Ireland? I hope not. I don't think so. We are
:10:35. > :10:38.talking about devolution. I think that DUP would vote with the
:10:39. > :10:41.Conservatives anyway. They did in the last parliament. There may not
:10:42. > :10:47.need to be a deal. The last thing they want is Jeremy Corbyn marching
:10:48. > :10:51.down to number ten Downing St. If that is the case why is Theresa May
:10:52. > :10:55.putting so much effort to agreeing concessions with the DUP. Because
:10:56. > :11:03.she has got to do the very best she can. But there are no concessions,
:11:04. > :11:07.my friends in the DUP, and they are my friends, and I do not like people
:11:08. > :11:11.implying they are in any way terrorists, I knew them a long time
:11:12. > :11:15.ago when I was a soldier in Northern Ireland, they are decent,
:11:16. > :11:19.honourable, hard-working and very brave. What do you make of comic
:11:20. > :11:28.speed by your former party leader, John Major, who expressed his
:11:29. > :11:32.reservations, saying any deal could threaten their fragile peace in
:11:33. > :11:38.Northern Ireland? What do you make of the comments made by John Major?
:11:39. > :11:42.When I was in their ground in Northern Ireland has Government was
:11:43. > :11:48.talking to the provisional IRA. That last thing I want is someone -- as
:11:49. > :11:51.someone that has spent a lot of my time in Northern Ireland is for the
:11:52. > :11:55.Peace Process to be derailed, the last thing I want is for the
:11:56. > :12:00.Government of this country to be derailed, both go hand in hand. Is
:12:01. > :12:04.that not a risk of this deal goes through? John Major said he is
:12:05. > :12:11.really an dubious of that deal. Do you have to take his views on board
:12:12. > :12:15.as an early -- as an elder statesman? Of course. He was
:12:16. > :12:20.instrumental in the early part of the Good Friday Agreement. We don't
:12:21. > :12:24.have a choice. The last in the country wants is another general
:12:25. > :12:27.election and the last thing we want in the Conservative Party is
:12:28. > :12:31.anything that will threaten the stability of the country. But your
:12:32. > :12:34.position seems to be that you are hoping Theresa May doesn't give too
:12:35. > :12:37.much away in her negotiations with the DUP because you don't think that
:12:38. > :12:42.would be a good thing and also you don't think it's necessary, because
:12:43. > :12:47.the DUP, you have said, will never vote for Jeremy Corbyn anybody. I am
:12:48. > :12:52.not involved in it. I don't know what the deal is, but I can tell you
:12:53. > :12:54.this, I think most of the DUP would vote, they did in the last
:12:55. > :12:59.Parliament, they voted with the Conservatives the entire time. It is
:13:00. > :13:05.not in the interests of this Conservative Government goes down,
:13:06. > :13:08.and I agree, the meat will not have a formal deal, it doesn't
:13:09. > :13:13.necessarily need, but the fact of the matter is we need Government of
:13:14. > :13:18.the country and we want to get what is happening in Northern Ireland
:13:19. > :13:21.sorted out as well. As the position of Theresa May as leader of the
:13:22. > :13:25.Conservative Party and Prime Minister secured in the short term?
:13:26. > :13:33.It is secured not just in the short term, it is secure as far as the eye
:13:34. > :13:37.can see. I don't expect she will be leading the Conservative Party at
:13:38. > :13:41.the next general election because I think she will have had enough. She
:13:42. > :13:45.is under huge pressure. She has accepted that she made a very big
:13:46. > :13:50.mistake stop a lot of mistakes actually. But she has accepted that.
:13:51. > :13:54.But we don't have a choice as a country. We need our Prime Minister.
:13:55. > :13:58.People like myself will back out. But she has made mistakes and you
:13:59. > :14:02.think she should not be leader in five years, she is a lame duck, that
:14:03. > :14:08.is what you have effectively just said. You use those words. That is
:14:09. > :14:11.my interpretation of what you have just said. Her power and authority
:14:12. > :14:17.is diminished but she is still the Prime Minister and I will still back
:14:18. > :14:22.her. Does she still have my support? Yes. For how much longer? Until the
:14:23. > :14:26.country is in a stable enough condition, and in the right
:14:27. > :14:28.condition for possible change. But we want to win that will be. How
:14:29. > :14:39.long is a piece of string? Yesterday Jeremy Corbyn unveiled his
:14:40. > :14:43.new Shadow Cabinet and Northern Ireland's position goes to Owen
:14:44. > :14:47.Smith. I asked if I should be congratulating with them or
:14:48. > :14:51.commiserating with him. You should definitely be congratulating me. One
:14:52. > :14:54.of the greatest things any Labour Government has done is what the last
:14:55. > :14:57.Labour Government did in Northern Ireland, bringing about
:14:58. > :15:01.power-sharing arrangements, bringing peace to Northern Ireland, helping
:15:02. > :15:05.to bring peace to Northern Ireland. We will always want to play our part
:15:06. > :15:10.alongside the British Government and all the parties in Northern Ireland
:15:11. > :15:12.to make sure those institutions are restored as quickly as possible and
:15:13. > :15:15.making sure that peace and stability is restored. It is not only in
:15:16. > :15:20.Westminster that we need strong and stable Government, really that in
:15:21. > :15:27.Belfast as well. Theresa May has been talking about restoring
:15:28. > :15:29.devolution. You are the shadow Secretary of State for Northern
:15:30. > :15:32.Ireland, will we see the continuation of a bipartisan
:15:33. > :15:36.approach Northern Ireland? Yes, there should not be backsliding on
:15:37. > :15:41.that, we need to work with the British Government, make sure there
:15:42. > :15:46.is a united view about who we take things forward and I will be looking
:15:47. > :15:49.to work with James Brokenshire, I will meet as soon as possible, and
:15:50. > :15:54.make sure that we are working hand in hand.
:15:55. > :15:59.Everyone is talking about this emerging deal between the DUP and
:16:00. > :16:03.the Conservative Party. What is viewed view of what seems to be
:16:04. > :16:08.happening there? We have not seen the details of the deal yet, but we
:16:09. > :16:12.know that is going to be ideal. I share the concerns that many people
:16:13. > :16:18.have expressed. It will be difficult for the Government to approve that
:16:19. > :16:21.they are impartial brokers, impartial arbiters in the process in
:16:22. > :16:25.Northern Ireland if they are being propped up by one of the key players
:16:26. > :16:29.in the process in the parliament here at Westminster. They will need
:16:30. > :16:33.to work very hard to persuade the other parties in Northern Ireland
:16:34. > :16:37.that they are truly impartial, and I think they have a job of work in
:16:38. > :16:41.their hands to do that. It is interesting that Theresa May has had
:16:42. > :16:45.to get all the parties you to meet higher in London. She hasn't really
:16:46. > :16:50.engaged in the politics of Northern Ireland previously, something we
:16:51. > :16:53.have gently criticise her for, and I think it does tell you something
:16:54. > :16:57.that she is needing to do this now only because of the mess she finds
:16:58. > :17:01.herself and politically at Westminster. You the deal to restore
:17:02. > :17:07.devolution as Stormont can be achieved in two weeks because that
:17:08. > :17:14.is the deadline? I have been opposed by one day, but my impression
:17:15. > :17:17.already, I have talked to a lot of people are random process, and I
:17:18. > :17:22.think there is a clear desire to do a deal. That is clearly a deep
:17:23. > :17:27.dissatisfaction with evolution been suspended, I don't think anybody
:17:28. > :17:31.wants direct rule over Northern Ireland. I am a devolutionist and I
:17:32. > :17:34.think everyone involved was to see Les institutions up and running as
:17:35. > :17:41.quickly as possible. Some of the other parties believe that James
:17:42. > :17:45.Brokenshire is not in a position to be an impartial arbiter in this
:17:46. > :17:52.process because the conserver party is about to enter an agreement with
:17:53. > :17:56.the DUP. Do you accept that? We can all see their potential that this is
:17:57. > :17:59.a big conflict of interest. It is difficult for him to be both
:18:00. > :18:03.impartial brokers and part of a Government supported by the DUP.
:18:04. > :18:11.That is obvious to everyone. But not to hand? I will for mum gave him the
:18:12. > :18:15.benefit of the doubt. It for him to prove to the parties in Northern
:18:16. > :18:18.Ireland that he can act as previous secretaries of state are both
:18:19. > :18:22.parties have done, as impartial brokers. If you can do that, then we
:18:23. > :18:28.will need to address that issue, but at the moment it is for Theresa May
:18:29. > :18:31.to prove that they are up to that task. All the party said it wanted
:18:32. > :18:36.to devolution restored. They believe it can be done quickly, but none of
:18:37. > :18:39.them seem to be prepared and public to talk about the kind of compromise
:18:40. > :18:43.that would be necessary to achieve that. As anything you can do to
:18:44. > :18:49.persuade them that optimise is not dirty word? My impression is that
:18:50. > :18:54.there is a willingness and that is a desire for this deal to work next
:18:55. > :18:57.week. The circumstances have changed dramatically during the election.
:18:58. > :19:01.Theresa May needs to cut a deal and the parties in Northern Ireland want
:19:02. > :19:06.to see their institutions restored. Those two things coming together
:19:07. > :19:09.hopefully means that as a real confluence of interest, and perhaps
:19:10. > :19:14.that means that the emperor Didsbury needs to bring back power-sharing.
:19:15. > :19:15.Owen Smith, the new Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary of state.
:19:16. > :19:18.The other big issue today, of course, was the attempt
:19:19. > :19:20.by the Prime Minister to breathe new life into the stalled
:19:21. > :19:28.Colum Eastwood, Robin Swann and Naomi Long are with me now.
:19:29. > :19:34.That Theresa May say anything to get you cause for hope today? Intense at
:19:35. > :19:39.the deal between the Tory party and the DUP she told is that it would be
:19:40. > :19:42.very transparent and would affect the talks process. I told her it
:19:43. > :19:47.would take a lot more than that for us to convinced that the DUP deal
:19:48. > :19:53.won't be wiping the Tory dog, so will have to see what happens. I was
:19:54. > :19:57.worried that the governments will at some point have to convince, cajole
:19:58. > :20:00.and pressurise the to make an agreement, and the discovering
:20:01. > :20:06.unprepared at that point to do that with the DUP, I don't see that much
:20:07. > :20:10.opportunity for success. Oxley, that won't be the case, but I think a lot
:20:11. > :20:13.of people will need convincing because the numbers are so tight in
:20:14. > :20:18.the British Parliament, and I think it is not a good situation for the
:20:19. > :20:23.peace process typically DUP in such a powerful position. What was your
:20:24. > :20:26.takeaway? I asked about the transparency to nature there was no
:20:27. > :20:33.side deals. In the past, and the matter what the other has been an
:20:34. > :20:38.institutions, there has always been a side deal. We need not just
:20:39. > :20:42.transparency between the Conservatives and the DUP, but also
:20:43. > :20:47.the Conservatives and sensing, if there was any side deal to get them
:20:48. > :20:53.around the party. We have seen the dangers of side parties. When the
:20:54. > :20:58.eventually come out, it adds an upset society more than the
:20:59. > :21:04.originally deal benefited. Dirty understand why you raise that issue.
:21:05. > :21:08.Yes you did. She gave us a guarantee that she will publish the deal
:21:09. > :21:14.between the Conservative Party and the DUP. Is that enough for you? We
:21:15. > :21:16.will monitor that. The thing about Northern Ireland politics is that if
:21:17. > :21:25.there are side deals it is not long before they start to become
:21:26. > :21:31.transparent. Zara, that -- and I am a that Theresa May reassured you? It
:21:32. > :21:33.is fine for Hardisty that the Government remains independent, the
:21:34. > :21:38.reality is that the Government only remains in power for as long as it
:21:39. > :21:44.DUP will prop them up. When it comes to doing Adil, although the talks,
:21:45. > :21:48.the Government has no lavage of the DUP or indeed the other parties,
:21:49. > :21:51.because they have essentially got leveraged over them. I cannot see
:21:52. > :21:56.how that is helpful to the process, but we are where we are. We want to
:21:57. > :22:00.be optimistic going into this. It is one thing to get the right and don't
:22:01. > :22:05.deal, it is one thing to see what is in a paper, but particular with
:22:06. > :22:08.confidence and supply, whether it is what Bible, the DUP will want to
:22:09. > :22:15.bring this arrangement for everything they can, and there will
:22:16. > :22:21.be deals done that an average -- never published, and we will watch
:22:22. > :22:25.for impartiality. There is backing for a deal between the party and the
:22:26. > :22:29.DUP, but the he doesn't think it is necessary. It is a slightly odd
:22:30. > :22:33.position to adopt, people might think will stop do you think it is a
:22:34. > :22:36.deal that is going to stick? We don't know what the deal looks like.
:22:37. > :22:42.We want a deal that looks after all of the people of Northern Ireland,
:22:43. > :22:47.not denial and trust... Arlene Foster says it is a deal that
:22:48. > :22:50.everyone will benefit from. I would prefer that was no Tory Government,
:22:51. > :22:54.especially not one propped up by the DUP. From our perspective, we were
:22:55. > :23:00.here to try and find solution. We offered solutions to have we get
:23:01. > :23:05.this talks process on target, we note that if veto process and the
:23:06. > :23:10.Northern Ireland Assembly, we can get a lot of these issues through.
:23:11. > :23:16.If a go at this the right way, we can resolve issues. We have to,
:23:17. > :23:19.because we are facing Brexit, at the UK Government, and I don't want to
:23:20. > :23:26.see those people ruling over as without any MPEG. Can James
:23:27. > :23:31.Brokenshire be an honest broker? Naomi Long has reservations. The
:23:32. > :23:39.whole level of the spectrum will have to realise and I think everyone
:23:40. > :23:43.here does, we have two weeks from today, so to try and entered as an
:23:44. > :23:47.new chair at this time, I think it is too late. The clock is against
:23:48. > :23:52.us. James Brokenshire is a option we have at this moment in time. But he
:23:53. > :23:58.could be the reason why a resolution isn't reach. Every going to start to
:23:59. > :24:03.look for problems at this late stage. I have had the reservations.
:24:04. > :24:07.I can see whether coming from, but the solution lies with an hourglass.
:24:08. > :24:12.You have got to identify the problems define the solutions. The
:24:13. > :24:16.Government are not bystanders. When it comes to difficult pieces of what
:24:17. > :24:20.great legacy, there are issues that they need to face up to in terms of
:24:21. > :24:23.signing up to disagreements. It is not as simple as sitting back and
:24:24. > :24:29.hoping the party sorted out. They need to step up and measure that.
:24:30. > :24:32.The second thing is they need to be able to do the deal and negotiate
:24:33. > :24:38.between the rest of the parties. There is a real challenge if they
:24:39. > :24:41.are seen to be holding the DUP for every single vote of confidence that
:24:42. > :24:45.goes through Westminster. Boro are not the DUP will over played out and
:24:46. > :24:50.and collapse the Government is another matter entirely. I would
:24:51. > :24:53.hope not. If they are doing this in the national interest, why would
:24:54. > :24:59.they do that? But this certainly not inconceivable. We gave him a
:25:00. > :25:03.solution by me met with him in Belfast, and be reasserted that
:25:04. > :25:07.today. If they want to show that they can be ended ended, then act
:25:08. > :25:12.independent of the DUP, then there can deal with the issue of the
:25:13. > :25:15.nations, for example. The DUP will as you nationwide Government. James
:25:16. > :25:20.Brokenshire can ensure the same level of scrutiny applies to all of
:25:21. > :25:23.our finances as the rest of the UK. I think it is right that he should
:25:24. > :25:29.do it and you can do it without the DUP persist because he is impartial.
:25:30. > :25:35.I have told James Brokenshire months ago that he should do that. You try
:25:36. > :25:41.to make this as there is something to hide. We stand by the law, we go
:25:42. > :25:47.by the rules. That is a DUP's possession, of course. The DUP
:25:48. > :25:51.possession is that it is quite happy to publish at the law changes. That
:25:52. > :25:55.is our position and we are happy to abide by the lot. I don't know what
:25:56. > :25:58.Naomi Long are trying to insinuate. She should say it out loud. I'm
:25:59. > :26:03.guessing there is no point pretending when you want
:26:04. > :26:06.transparency when you could elaborate today. You are trying to
:26:07. > :26:14.pretend that some sort of dark money here. The only people with dark
:26:15. > :26:17.money at the DUP. The reality is that we have to take your word for
:26:18. > :26:22.it at the moment, just as Arlene Foster had to say I had to take our
:26:23. > :26:26.word for it. This situation is that neither you Arlene Foster are forced
:26:27. > :26:30.by the Cardinals to actually make it public. We abide by the rules, we
:26:31. > :26:38.abide by the law, we do all of that is about board. You can criticise
:26:39. > :26:40.the DUP then, that is what busy. We don't look for half ?1 million to
:26:41. > :26:46.put into the Brexit campaign. Completely within the rules. They
:26:47. > :26:51.used their Northern Ireland rules to subvert it. We don't do that. One of
:26:52. > :26:53.the first things I doubt this party leader was told James Brokenshire
:26:54. > :27:00.that he should change that and get on with it. That is our position. We
:27:01. > :27:02.have said months ago that should have been an independent chair.
:27:03. > :27:08.Unfortunate, people would not listen. If they hadn't listened to
:27:09. > :27:14.as months ago... We are where we are. I told everybody who would
:27:15. > :27:18.listen to me, there are two people involved in this, there are two
:27:19. > :27:23.Government. The Irish Government to be at the table in a very very
:27:24. > :27:28.obvious and open way, we need to be called chairing this process.
:27:29. > :27:38.Without that,... Robin Swann is shaking his head... While you
:27:39. > :27:42.shaking your head? Northern Ireland operates an earthly output. For the
:27:43. > :27:49.DUP to overplay their hand at this moment that time. Episodes farther
:27:50. > :27:56.back. The answer lies within the hands of the five local parties. I
:27:57. > :28:03.think Naomi Long the 30 year as a coalition of the win. You you folks
:28:04. > :28:06.are an absolute irrelevance. The deal is going to be done with the
:28:07. > :28:11.British and Irish governments, and Sinn Fein and the DUP. We saw
:28:12. > :28:15.exactly what happened when Sinn Fein and the DUP got into Government
:28:16. > :28:19.together. That is why we are and the mess we're in today. Without an
:28:20. > :28:23.inclusion, they weren't able to get it over the line. Absolutely, they
:28:24. > :28:28.can go back and dismiss other parties in the docks and from a
:28:29. > :28:35.executive, but it did at their own peril. In fairness, we have a
:28:36. > :28:40.disagreements, we can disagree and a mature way within Government, work
:28:41. > :28:42.together on issues where we do agree, and another governments at
:28:43. > :28:50.Aligns ministers were and actually did collapse. We were never be
:28:51. > :28:54.treated as an adornment. I think everybody wants all of these parties
:28:55. > :29:00.in the executive. We would go in eggs of that isn't a different type.
:29:01. > :29:05.We want a Government that will do things. We want to see a programme
:29:06. > :29:08.for Government that impacts people lies. We are not about to do what
:29:09. > :29:15.happened the last time Robbie Green acquit Government and Yvonne. It
:29:16. > :29:19.means we get a Government that last, that is the most important thing. A
:29:20. > :29:25.quickie yes I know from each of you. There today's meeting held make the
:29:26. > :29:28.process better? I think it's a start but there is going to be a lot more
:29:29. > :29:33.needed that the series about getting things up and running and that they
:29:34. > :29:39.are not going to be held up by the DUP. We got points across to the
:29:40. > :29:43.Prime Minister. A lot of people have accused Theresa May have not been
:29:44. > :29:46.involved in this issue, and he has been involved today. I think it is
:29:47. > :29:51.largely windowdressing. It has been useful to talk to the premise about
:29:52. > :29:52.the real work starts in Belfast, and that is where it deal will be done.
:29:53. > :29:54.Thank you. Colum Eastwood, Robin
:29:55. > :29:56.Swann and Naomi Long. So where are we after another
:29:57. > :29:59.day of political toing With me now to share her thoughts
:30:00. > :30:14.is the BBC's Political Editor, Thank you for joining us. Still no
:30:15. > :30:16.deal between the Tories and the DUP, why not?
:30:17. > :30:21.There are a few things going on here. First there is the question as
:30:22. > :30:29.there always is in politics is what else is going on in the world. Late
:30:30. > :30:34.Monday, Tuesday, the two parties were close to a deal then the awful
:30:35. > :30:38.situation unfolded at Grenfell Tower and there was a sense amongst my
:30:39. > :30:40.contacts that it would not have been appropriate to announce a new
:30:41. > :30:45.Government while that was unfolding. Part of that is logistics. We know
:30:46. > :30:59.that Arlene Foster will be in Dublin speaking to the tea shock. However
:31:00. > :31:09.-- speaking to the teacher. There are a couple of other things.
:31:10. > :31:13.There is a lot of joking and Westminster, the DUP are enjoying
:31:14. > :31:24.their time in the sun. They have huge influence. They are not to
:31:25. > :31:28.squander that lightly. There is anxiety about getting it right and
:31:29. > :31:32.not causing problems for the future. The Treasury has been poring over
:31:33. > :31:37.the number very closely. The Cabinet Office has been involved in the
:31:38. > :31:41.talks in a way which they were not in 2010 when the Coalition deal was
:31:42. > :31:47.done. Paul's two things hassled down the process.
:31:48. > :31:53.Liz truss had a word with us earlier today in Millbank and we asked was
:31:54. > :31:58.there a problem, she said you need to address that question to the DUP?
:31:59. > :32:04.We asked the DUP to join us, not available, did not want to take
:32:05. > :32:06.part. Are things like Air Passenger Duty and Barnett consequential is
:32:07. > :32:12.part of the problem? There are lots of things on the
:32:13. > :32:14.table that the DUP has try to put there, the anxiety of the Treasury
:32:15. > :32:18.is about the Barnett consequentialist, if they sign the
:32:19. > :32:22.deal, does that mean that voters in Scotland are going to say we need
:32:23. > :32:27.extra cash, voters in Wales and the north of England and so on. And
:32:28. > :32:31.there are a couple of precedents where the Treasury can give extra
:32:32. > :32:36.cash to some of the devolved administrations, but that hasn't
:32:37. > :32:39.happened that often, so that is a genuine anxiety. I wonder if that
:32:40. > :32:45.remark betrays more of what we were talking about earlier, that this has
:32:46. > :32:51.been gone largely to the DUP wanting to max out this moment. People close
:32:52. > :32:56.to their side of the talks would say that is not a bit of it, we have
:32:57. > :33:00.been broadly there for days, but they just want to make sure that
:33:01. > :33:04.they get it right. But I suspect, who wouldn't, they are seasoned
:33:05. > :33:08.political bargain is, of course they want to get as much out of it as
:33:09. > :33:12.they possibly can stop you are convinced that Theresa May needs the
:33:13. > :33:18.DUP? John Major didn't seem to need them
:33:19. > :33:23.-- didn't sound convinced, neither did Bob Stewart. Convinced is a
:33:24. > :33:26.tricky word in politics, especially when things are so fluid and
:33:27. > :33:32.volatile as they are at the moment. There is a clear signal from Downing
:33:33. > :33:36.Street, things are so uncertain, remember how much Theresa May's
:33:37. > :33:40.political authority has been damaged by recent events. She wants to be
:33:41. > :33:45.able to lock something down, see to Parliament and the country that she
:33:46. > :33:50.has something approaching a Government that looks as if it could
:33:51. > :33:53.last for some time. She doesn't want to be in a situation where every
:33:54. > :33:57.time she is going to put anything to a vote she has to go to the DUP
:33:58. > :34:02.behind closed doors and say, please support me on this. One thing that
:34:03. > :34:07.has been relatively unknown in Westminster for the last couple of
:34:08. > :34:11.years but DUP has been backing the Government, lots of wheeling and
:34:12. > :34:16.dealing already going on behind closed doors, but a public
:34:17. > :34:20.affirmation would mean that on a day to day basis she is no longer
:34:21. > :34:25.hostage to them in the same kind of way. But there are plenty of Tories
:34:26. > :34:28.who saved the DUP and are going to sink the Tory party, they are never
:34:29. > :34:36.able to dream of working with Jeremy Corbyn so why not just go it alone?
:34:37. > :34:39.But they know who Theresa May's authority has been damaged, and my
:34:40. > :34:44.impression is they want this to happen, otherwise they would not so
:34:45. > :34:45.publicly pursued a deal in the first place.
:34:46. > :34:46.Interesting times. Much so. That's it from The View
:34:47. > :34:49.for this week. Join me for Sunday Politics
:34:50. > :34:53.at 11.35 here on BBC One.