国际英语资讯:Spotlight: May turns to small Northern Ireland party to help rescue her Westminster governme

LONDON, June 9 -- Political commentators Friday called it the gamble that went spectacularly wrong for Prime Minister Theresa May.

May called a snap general election in April, being convinced the British public would give her a strong mandate as she prepares for a battle with the European Union over Britain's post-Brexit relationship with the bloc.

She wanted the security of a bigger margin than the narrow 17-strong working majority she held in the British House of Commons.

Instead, as the final election results came in Friday, it confirmed what a Thursday night exit poll had predicted, the loss of her majority.

To make matters worse for May, her main rivals in the Commons, Jeremy Corbyn's Labor Party, did spectacularly well, increasing the size of their numbers to 261 MPs.

May ended up with 315 MPs, the largest group, and enough to form a minority government, but 11 short of the number she needed to make a majority.

She turned to the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in Northern Ireland, close allies of the Conservatives. They had gained two seats, taking their total to 10. A deal with the DUP would break through the 326 barrier May desperately needed to form a government.

May held talks Friday with Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP, ahead of making the short car journey to Buckingham Palace to outline her plan to Queen Elizabeth.

Shortly after, May told an assembled press corps in Downing Street that having seen the Queen, she would form a government, adding: "a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country".

Her new government, added May, will guide Britain through the crucial Brexit talks that begin in just 10 days, and deliver on the will of the British people by taking the UK out of the European Union.

She added: "What the country needs more than ever is certainty, and having secured the largest number of votes and the greatest number of seats in the general election, it is clear that only the Conservative and Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that certainty by commanding a majority in the House of Commons.

"As we do, we will continue to work with our friends and allies in the Democratic Unionist Party in particular. Our two parties have enjoyed a strong relationship over many years, and this gives me the confidence to believe that we will be able to work together in the interests of the whole United Kingdom."

With the DUP hailed as the "kingmakers" in a deal to enable May to remain as Prime Minister, questions arose as to what kind of arrangement had been made by the DUP.

Foster called a press conference in Belfast to clarify the situation, saying: "I make no apology for saying that the DUP will always strive for the best deal for Northern Ireland and its people.

"The Prime Minister has spoken with me this morning and we will enter discussions with the Conservatives to explore how it may be possible to bring stability to our nation at this time of great challenge."

She left without taking any questions from the assembled media, or without explaining the extent of the discussions with May.

Professor Jon Tonge, an expert in Irish politics at the University of Liverpool, told Xinhua: "Theresa May had no choice, as the DUP is the Conservative's only ally.

"Both the Conservatives and the DUP are Brexiteers, and that will help with the negotiations with Brussels, as well as the vexed issue of the border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

"The link will enrage other parties in Northern Ireland, and the DUP will exact a high price for their support, which may not be visible, but will be there. They will want their goodies from May's government.

"The one thing about the DUP is they are loyal enough to stick with their promise, and as long as it holds May's government should survive. The last thing the Conservatives need now is another election, particularly after the disastrous results of the general election," Tonge said.

Commentators in Northern Ireland say Foster and the leaders of the pro-republican Sinn Fein party have already been set an end of June deadline to come up with power-sharing arrangements to rescue the devolved Northern Ireland assembly which is currently dissolved.

The fear in Belfast is that a close working relationship between May's government and the DUP could affect the devolution crisis.

Meanwhile in Scotland, Conservative leader Ruth Davidson Friday called on Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) to scrap her call for a second independence referendum.

Davidson's call in Edinburgh came after an election night that saw the SNP lose 19 of its Westminster MPs.

She said: "Nobody will condemn the first minister (Sturgeon) if she now decides to re-set her course. This is her opportunity to do so and I urge her to take it immediately. She must take it (the referendum) off the table."