DUP deal still possible says senior Tory

By PA reporter

It is still possible for the Tories to cut a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party, First Secretary of State Damian Green has said.

The comments came after the DUP warned that Prime Minister Theresa May cannot take them for granted.

Mr Green, who is effectively deputy PM, told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "There's still the possibility, there's every possibility, of a DUP deal. The talks have been taking place in a constructive way. Clearly, two political parties, we have some differences, but we have a lot in common.

"We're both unionist parties at our heart. We're both, obviously, very concerned with combating terrorism, we both have similar views about delivering a good Brexit for this country, and, obviously, we're both very, very concerned with the Irish border issue.

"All talks of this kind take a long time, they are still continuing."

After the Tories' disastrous General Election showing saw the party lose its Commons majority, Mrs May sought a "confidence and supply" deal with the DUP to prop-up her minority administration.

But DUP sources have warned talks with the Tories "haven't proceeded in a way that the DUP would have expected" and a deal is "certainly not imminent".

The source added the Northern Irish party "can't be taken for granted".