Tory and DUP MPs on uncommonly friendly terms

Parliamentary protocol dictates that MPs from opposing parties usually refer to one another as “honourable members”, reserving the term “friend” for colleagues in their own party.

During the coalition of 2010-15, Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministers regularly addressed each other as “friend”, but they were in a formal coalition and part of the same government.

By contrast, the DUP’s 10 MPs remain on the opposition benches and continue to receive ‘Short money’ – the public funding provided to support opposition parties in their parliamentary work.

Their “confidence and supply” agreement guarantees only that they will back the Conservatives in certain key votes, but does not make them a part of the government side.

Theresa May addressed the DUP’s Nigel Dodds as “my right honourable friend” at Prime Minister’s Questions, and a Conservative source said that other ministers had done the same over the past few days.

“That is the terminology in which both parties will be addressing each other,” said the source.

“Several ministers over several days, certainly on our side, have referred to the DUP as our honourable friends.”

Mrs May was challenged at PMQs over the investment of around £1 billion of taxpayers’ money in Northern Ireland, announced as part of the deal on Monday.

Labour’s Kevin Brennan said that the continued provision of Short money, along with the extra funding, amounted to “double bubble for her friends in the DUP”.

‘Short money’ is currently worth £17,209.01 per seat in the Commons and £34.37 for every 200 votes obtained by a party in the last general election.

Under these calculations, the DUP is due to receive £222,325 a year.

To qualify for ‘Short money’, a party must have at least two MPs or one MP and more than 150,000 votes.