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The Democratic Unionist Party are the anti-abortion pro-Brexit party of climate change deniers who don't believe in LGBT rights, and who Theresa May now has propping up her failing governement.

Based in Northern Ireland they are the fifth largest party in Westminster with 10 seats.

Theresa May has reportedly agreed a £1 billion 'confidence and supply arrangement' deal with the DUP to help get legislation through.

The Prime Minister has made a sustained effort to woo the 10-strong bloc of DUP MPs ahead of crunch votes this week on the legislative package set out in the Queen's Speech.

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On the face of it they sound like Northern Irish Tories because of their centre-right policies but there is more to it than that.

They back Brexit but not 'hard' Brexit largely because they don't want a hard border with Ireland.

And they vowed to maintain the pensions triple lock and winter fuel payments, both of which the Tories wanted to tear up.

Their manifesto set out a 30-point wish list of priorities and objectives for the forthcoming Brexit negotiations; reinstating the major issues that have been forefront in the debate so far, including maintaining the Common Travel Area and ensuring a frictionless border, and ease of trade throughout the European Union.

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The manifesto also put forward the following issues: "Prioritise spending on our Health Service, create more jobs and increase incomes, protect family budgets, raise standards in education for everyone and invest in infrastructure."

It went on to say the DUP five point plan could be advanced through ten elements, each with a broad range of policy targets and ideas: "1. More jobs and rising incomes 2. A world class health service 3. Education – every child the opportunity to succeed 4. Rebuilding Northern Ireland 5. Rewarding hard work 6. Safer streets and smarter justice 7. Creating stronger communities 8. A friend of the farmer and our natural heritage 9. Changing politics and government in Northern Ireland 10. Taking pride in Northern Ireland"

In addition to the party call for the "particular circumstances of Northern Ireland" to be fully reflected, they further propose for the region to be "established as a hub for trade from the Irish Republic into the broader UK market".

The manifesto places emphasis on digital and transport connectivity in relation to Northern Ireland’s location.

In particular, it highlights that investment in infrastructure to provide this connectivity (through broadband provision, airport and ferry services etc) not only supports economic competitiveness, but provides "a boost for the local construction industry".

They controversially oppose same sex marriage and have limited enthusiasm for LBGT rights.

The DUP also fights hard against women’s right to choose to have an abortion , making them the biggest pro-forced pregnancy party in the UK

They are climate change deniers .

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Despite that they used their role in government in Northern Ireland to set up a subsidy scheme for biofuels, which gave those who bought into it more money than they had to pay out.

The Northern Irish exchequer ended up paying out around half a billion pounds to those who knew about the scheme, leading to a scandal known as ‘cash for ash’, and a major investigation into whether DUP staff and supporters personally benefitted.

The DUP have strong historical links with Loyalist paramilitary groups.

Specifically, the terrorist group Ulster Resistance was founded by a collection of people who went on to be prominent DUP politicians.

Former First Minister Peter Robinson, for example, who was DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s first minister until last year, was an active member of Ulster Resistance.

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They have strong historic links with the extreme right of the political spectrum .

When Enoch Powell was expelled from the Tory party after his fascist turn, he moved to Northern Ireland. There, his campaign manager was a young man named Jeffrey Donaldson, who says on his website:

“I worked alongside two of the greatest names in Unionism in the 20th century. Between 1982 and 1984 I worked as Enoch Powell’s constituency agent, successfully spearheading Mr. Powell’s election campaigns of 1983 and 1986 when the South Down seat was retained despite the fact the constituency contained a natural ‘nationalist’ majority.”

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Donaldson is now the longest serving of the DUP’s MPs.

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Their deputy leader and leader in Westminster is North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds who has the 13th highest expenses of any MP

Their most famous politician was Ian Paisley, one of the founders of the party, who entered the Good Friday Agreement with their long standing rivals Sinn Fein which led to peace in Northern Ireland and a period of stability.

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They have form for backing the Conservatives and in October 2016, DUP leader Arlene Foster and DUP MPs held a champagne reception at the Conservative Party conference, marking what some have described as an "informal coalition" or an "understanding" between the two parties

In May leader Arlene Foster made headlines after "sexist remarks" she made about Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill.

The DUP leader was asked in an interview with a Sunday newspaper what she thought of several Sinn Fein representatives.

In response she said: "I don't want to be sexist because I can't..."

When prompted by the journalist from Sunday Independent to, "go on, it's not sexist if it's true."

Arlene replied: "Blonde."

She continued: "Michelle is very attractive. She presents herself very well and she is- you know- her appearance is always very 'the same'.

"You never see her without her make-up. You never see her without her hair [looking] perfect."

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On the plus side they want to abandon the bedroom tax and protect bus passes for older people.