Theresa May is attempting to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist Party (Picture: PA)

Theresa May is attempting to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist Party, after failing to win a majority in Thursday’s election.

Petition against Tory/DUP government reaches more than 300,000 signatures

The DUP is known for its anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage views as well as its links to terrorism.

So, understandably, people are worried that having them prop up the Tories could signal a disaster for some of our hard fought civil liberties.

Especially the LGBT community.


The DUP is known for its anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage views as well as its links to terrorism (Picture: BBC)

The DUP have staunchly opposed same-sex marriage, believing in what they call the ‘traditional’ definition of the union, and have previously vetoed several attempts to pass new legislation.



In 2016, the party’s leader Arlene Foster said about the pro-marriage equality movement: ‘They are not going to influence me by sending me abuse – in fact, they are going to send me in the opposite direction and people need to reflect on that.’

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DUP deputy Nigel Dodds, left, leader Arlene Foster, centre and former DUP Leader, Peter Robinson, right, celebrate at the counting centre in Belfast (Picture: Getty)

She added: ‘I could not care less what people get up to in terms of their sexuality, that’s not a matter for me – when it becomes a matter for me is when people try to redefine marriage.’

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The ultra-conservative party, which remains the biggest Northern Irish party in Stormont and Westminster, has since stalled all progress on equal marriage in Northern Ireland, tried to retain a lifetime ban on gay men giving blood, and opposed same-sex couples adopting children.

The son of the party’s founder Ian Paisley previously called homosexuality ‘immoral, offensive and obnoxious’ and said he was ‘repulsed’ by gays and lesbians.

DUP leader Arlene Foster and Theresa May last year (Picture: PA)

While the former DUP health minister, Jim Wells told a South Down hustings in 2015: ‘The gay lobby is insatiable, they don’t know when enough is enough’.

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He also said children who were raised in a homosexual relationship were more likely to be abused or neglected but later apologised for his comments.

Northern Ireland is currently the only part of the UK without same-sex marriage because the DUP has employed peace process powers known as ‘petitions of concern’ to block all progress.

Apart from being strongly opposed to same sex marriage, Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party is also against women’s reproductive rights, and believes creationism should be taught in schools.