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European Research Group chairman Steve Baker has called on the DUP to "choke down extremely difficult compromises" and back the Boris Johnson's Brexit deal.

The self-styled "Brexit hardman" called on the Unionist party, who are part of a confidence and supply arrangement with the Conservatives, of gettting the deal over the line despite their objections.

On Saturday DUP Deputy-Leader Nigel Dodds launched a brutal attack on Mr Johnson's deal.

Mr Dodds said of the deal that it contained terms "that no British Prime Minister could ever agree to".

"And indeed those who sought the leadership of the Tory Party said that at our conference," he added in a barbed comment on the PMs reverse-ferret on Northern Ireland.

(Image: PA)

The DUP's 10 votes contributed to Boris Johnson's defeat in Parliament by 16 votes on Saturday - where MPs backed amendment withholding approval of Mr Johnson's Brexit deal until legislation to implement it was in place.

This forced him to write to the EU to demand an extension.

But Mr Baker told Today: "For people like me, for vast areas of that Withdrawal Agreement are unchanged, and we are going to have to choke down our pride and vote in the national interest to get Brexit done.

"I'm not going to deny there are still problems with that Withdrawal Agreement which I've long complained about.

"We're going to compromise in the national interest to get us out of the European Union on time and I'm afraid I'm asking the DUP, just as we're having to choke down extremely difficult compromises to get out in the national interest... I would ask the DUP to accept this compromise."

On Monday the DUP were being wooed on all sides - with Labour's Keir Starmer saying he was courting the party.

But the DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told the Belfast Telegraph: "We'll be back in Westminster and we'll be engaging with the Government in the next 24 hours on how we move this forward."