DUP 'demanding compensation for IRA victims' as part of Tory pact - report

Emilio Casalicchio

The DUP is demanding millions of pounds in compensation for victims of IRA attacks as part of its deal to prop up Theresa May in government, a newspaper report has said.



The Northern Irish unionist party wants the Government to stump up £1bn for the families of people killed or injured in republican terror attacks that were backed by Libya, according to the Sun on Sunday.

Colonel Gaddafi, the former leader of Libya who was killed in 2011, supplied the IRA with arms and Semtex for bomb attacks in the UK for almost 30 years.

Ministers have been wrangling with Libya's new leadership to secure compensation in return for freeing up £10bn-worth of the country’s assets in the UK.

But in its negotiations with the Prime Minister the DUP is said to be demanding the British government fund the payouts and re-claim the cash later if a deal with Libya cannot be struck within two years.

A source told the paper: “It’s an opportunity to ensure the victims get the compensation they should have received decades ago. We’re determined to seize it.”

A so-called confidence and supply deal – whereby the DUP will support the Tories in key Commons votes – has not yet been finalised despite talks stretching on since last Friday.

Last month the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee said there had been "missed opportunities" by the Government to win payouts for UK victims.

French, German and US governments have already secured compensation for their citizens who were harmed in terrorist actions sponsored by the Gaddafi regime.