ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson says she is concerned about gay rights should the Tories do a deal with the DUP.

Ms Davidson, who is gay, spoke out after Theresa May outlined a plan to seek a deal with the socially hardline party, which has 10 seats in the Commons, to prop up her minority administration.

In an apparent criticism of the plan, Ms Davidson on Friday tweeted a link to a speech she made in favour of marriage equality, with the message: "As a Protestant Unionist about to marry an Irish Catholic, here's the Amnesty Pride lecture I gave in Belfast."

Ms Davidson, who became engaged to partner Jen Wilson in May 2016, later told the BBC: "I was fairly straightforward with her (Mrs May) and I told her that there were a number of things that count to me more than the party.

Democratic Unionist Party MPs (DUP) - In pictures 9 show all Democratic Unionist Party MPs (DUP) - In pictures 1/9 Ian Paisley Jr: The son of the Rev Ian Paisley Charles McQuillan/Getty Images 2/9 Emma Little-Pengelly (centre): Her father Noel Little was a member of the Ulster Resistance involved in a foiled plot to procure weapons for loyalist paramilitaries. PA 3/9 Nigel Dodds: His office was targeted by the Continuity IRA in 2003. Getty Images 4/9 David Simpson: The Free Presbyterian has voted against same sex marriage PA 5/9 Sammy Wilson: He courted controversy in 2016 when he was recorded allegedly agreeing with a member of the public who said “get the ethnics out” AFP/Getty Images 6/9 Gavin Robinson: Party’s youngest face in Westminster. PA 7/9 Gregory Campbell: He has supported bringing back the death penalty in the case of mass murder. Rex Features 8/9 Jeffrey Donaldson: He was in the Ulster Unionists negotiating team for the Good Friday Agreements PA 9/9 Jim Shannon: He has topped the Westminster expenses list BBC 1/9 Ian Paisley Jr: The son of the Rev Ian Paisley Charles McQuillan/Getty Images 2/9 Emma Little-Pengelly (centre): Her father Noel Little was a member of the Ulster Resistance involved in a foiled plot to procure weapons for loyalist paramilitaries. PA 3/9 Nigel Dodds: His office was targeted by the Continuity IRA in 2003. Getty Images 4/9 David Simpson: The Free Presbyterian has voted against same sex marriage PA 5/9 Sammy Wilson: He courted controversy in 2016 when he was recorded allegedly agreeing with a member of the public who said “get the ethnics out” AFP/Getty Images 6/9 Gavin Robinson: Party’s youngest face in Westminster. PA 7/9 Gregory Campbell: He has supported bringing back the death penalty in the case of mass murder. Rex Features 8/9 Jeffrey Donaldson: He was in the Ulster Unionists negotiating team for the Good Friday Agreements PA 9/9 Jim Shannon: He has topped the Westminster expenses list BBC

"One of them is country, one of the others is LGBTI rights.

"I asked for a categoric assurance that if any deal or scoping deal was done with the DUP there would be absolutely no rescission of LGBTI rights in the rest of the UK, in Great Britain, and that we would use any influence that we had to advance LGBTI rights in Northern Ireland

"It's an issue very close to my heart and one that I wanted categoric assurances from the prime minister on, and I received (them)."

Northern Ireland is the only part of the British Isles where same-sex marriage remains outlawed.

The DUP has repeatedly used a controversial Stormont voting mechanism - the petition of concern - to prevent the legalisation of same-sex marriage, despite a majority of MLAs supporting the move at the last vote.

The party has often found itself embroiled in controversy over its stance on gay rights issues.

Founded on the evangelical principles of the late Ian Paisley's Free Presbyterian church, Northern Ireland's largest political party has been repeatedly at odds with the region's LGBT community.

Their differences highlight Northern Ireland's often stark dichotomy between religious-based social conservatism and secular progressive liberalism.

General Election Night 2017 - In pictures 31 show all General Election Night 2017 - In pictures 1/31 Theresa May waiting in Maidenhead for the result to be announced Alastair Grant/AP 2/31 Labour leaders Jeremy Corbyn at the Election count in Islington Jeremy Selwyn 3/31 Leader of the Liberal democrats Tim Farron celebrates beating Conservative party candidate James Airey, Independent candidate Mr Fishfinger and Labour candidate Eli Aldridge following the announcement of the results at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre Dave Thompson/Getty Images 4/31 Armed police outside the home of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in north London Yui Mok/PA 5/31 Vince Cable pictured with his wife Rachel, is elected once again in Twickenham after losing his seat in 2015 Alex Lentati 6/31 Nick Clegg loses his Sheffield Hallam seat and is no longer an MP Sky News 7/31 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts as her party loses their seat at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, Robert Parry/EPA 8/31 Britain's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, right, tries to high-five with Labour's Emily Thornberry after arriving for the declaration at his constituency in London Frank Augstein/AP 9/31 Ballot boxes are run in during the count at the Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre as the general election count begins Ian Forsyth/Getty Images 10/31 Boris Johnson at the Brunel Indoor Athletic Centre for the declaration of his Uxbridge and South Ruislip Constituency which he retained Rex Features 11/31 Zac Goldsmith with his mother Lady Annabel Goldsmith Alex Lentati 12/31 Close call for Zac Goldsmith as a recount is called for Richmond Park Alex Lentati 13/31 Labour supporters react as Paul Sweeney (not pictured) is announced as the new MP for Glasgow North East for the British Parliamentary Elections at the Emirates Arena EPA 14/31 UKIP leader Paul Nuttall at the Peter Paine Performance Centre in Boston during the counting Joe Giddens/PA 15/31 Labour's Rupa Huq celebrates with her sister, TV presenter Konnie Huq, after increasing her majority from 274 to 13,807 in Ealing Central and Acton Matt Writtle 16/31 Displays show the current rate of the British pound against the Japanese yen and a news program reporting on the British general election at a foreign money brokerage in Tokyo Roru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images 17/31 Theresa May leaving CCHQ this morning Jeremy Selwyn 18/31 Police watch as counting staff sort through ballots at a counting centre in Islington, London Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty Images 19/31 Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd's speaks after retaining her seat in Hastings Kevin Coombs/Reuters 20/31 Prime Minister Theresa May's chief of staff Nick Timothy and Joint-chief of staff Fiona Hill leave Conservative Party HQ in Westminster Rick Findler/PA 21/31 Patrons watch the results for Britain's election in London. Alex Salmond loses his seat Peter Nicholls/Reuters 22/31 Chuka Umunna kisses with his wife, Alice Sullivan at the London Borough of Lambeth UK Parliamentary Elections Lucy Young 23/31 Prime Minister Theresa May waits with other candidates for the results to be declared at the count centre in Maidenhead Geoff Cadick/AFP/Getty Images 24/31 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh Jane Barlow/PA 25/31 Vote counters wait for Ballot boxes to arrive at the Peter Paine Performance Centre where the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness Getty Images 26/31 Kate Hoey who retained her Vauxhall seat at the London Borough of Lambeth Lucy Young 27/31 Conservative's Gavin Barwell loses his seat to Labour at Croydon Central Chris Gorman 28/31 Labour's Sarah Jones takes the Conservative seat of Croydon Chris Gorman 29/31 DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds cheer as Emma Little Pengelly is elected to the South Belfast constituency at the Titanic exhibition centre in Belfast Niall Carson/PA 30/31 Exit poll results from Britain's general election are projected on to the BBC's Broadcasting House, London Jeff Overs/BBC 31/31 The front door of 10 Downing Street in Westminster, London, as votes are being counted in the 2017 General Election Rick Findler/PA 1/31 Theresa May waiting in Maidenhead for the result to be announced Alastair Grant/AP 2/31 Labour leaders Jeremy Corbyn at the Election count in Islington Jeremy Selwyn 3/31 Leader of the Liberal democrats Tim Farron celebrates beating Conservative party candidate James Airey, Independent candidate Mr Fishfinger and Labour candidate Eli Aldridge following the announcement of the results at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre Dave Thompson/Getty Images 4/31 Armed police outside the home of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in north London Yui Mok/PA 5/31 Vince Cable pictured with his wife Rachel, is elected once again in Twickenham after losing his seat in 2015 Alex Lentati 6/31 Nick Clegg loses his Sheffield Hallam seat and is no longer an MP Sky News 7/31 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts as her party loses their seat at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, Robert Parry/EPA 8/31 Britain's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, right, tries to high-five with Labour's Emily Thornberry after arriving for the declaration at his constituency in London Frank Augstein/AP 9/31 Ballot boxes are run in during the count at the Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre as the general election count begins Ian Forsyth/Getty Images 10/31 Boris Johnson at the Brunel Indoor Athletic Centre for the declaration of his Uxbridge and South Ruislip Constituency which he retained Rex Features 11/31 Zac Goldsmith with his mother Lady Annabel Goldsmith Alex Lentati 12/31 Close call for Zac Goldsmith as a recount is called for Richmond Park Alex Lentati 13/31 Labour supporters react as Paul Sweeney (not pictured) is announced as the new MP for Glasgow North East for the British Parliamentary Elections at the Emirates Arena EPA 14/31 UKIP leader Paul Nuttall at the Peter Paine Performance Centre in Boston during the counting Joe Giddens/PA 15/31 Labour's Rupa Huq celebrates with her sister, TV presenter Konnie Huq, after increasing her majority from 274 to 13,807 in Ealing Central and Acton Matt Writtle 16/31 Displays show the current rate of the British pound against the Japanese yen and a news program reporting on the British general election at a foreign money brokerage in Tokyo Roru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images 17/31 Theresa May leaving CCHQ this morning Jeremy Selwyn 18/31 Police watch as counting staff sort through ballots at a counting centre in Islington, London Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty Images 19/31 Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd's speaks after retaining her seat in Hastings Kevin Coombs/Reuters 20/31 Prime Minister Theresa May's chief of staff Nick Timothy and Joint-chief of staff Fiona Hill leave Conservative Party HQ in Westminster Rick Findler/PA 21/31 Patrons watch the results for Britain's election in London. Alex Salmond loses his seat Peter Nicholls/Reuters 22/31 Chuka Umunna kisses with his wife, Alice Sullivan at the London Borough of Lambeth UK Parliamentary Elections Lucy Young 23/31 Prime Minister Theresa May waits with other candidates for the results to be declared at the count centre in Maidenhead Geoff Cadick/AFP/Getty Images 24/31 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh Jane Barlow/PA 25/31 Vote counters wait for Ballot boxes to arrive at the Peter Paine Performance Centre where the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness Getty Images 26/31 Kate Hoey who retained her Vauxhall seat at the London Borough of Lambeth Lucy Young 27/31 Conservative's Gavin Barwell loses his seat to Labour at Croydon Central Chris Gorman 28/31 Labour's Sarah Jones takes the Conservative seat of Croydon Chris Gorman 29/31 DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds cheer as Emma Little Pengelly is elected to the South Belfast constituency at the Titanic exhibition centre in Belfast Niall Carson/PA 30/31 Exit poll results from Britain's general election are projected on to the BBC's Broadcasting House, London Jeff Overs/BBC 31/31 The front door of 10 Downing Street in Westminster, London, as votes are being counted in the 2017 General Election Rick Findler/PA

While the party insists it is protecting the "traditional" definition of marriage, critics have denounced its stance as homophobic.

Going back decades, the DUP was at the vanguard of the failed Save Ulster from Sodomy movement that campaigned against the 1982 legalisation of homosexual sex in Northern Ireland.

In more recent times, former first minister Peter Robinson's wife Iris, then an MP, described homosexuality as an "abomination", while the MP son of Dr Paisley, Ian Paisley Jr, said he felt "repulsed" by homosexual acts.

A party councillor in Ballymena reportedly claimed Hurricane Katrina, which killed more than 1,500 people in the US, was God's revenge for New Orleans hosting an annual gay pride event.

Former DUP Stormont minister Edwin Poots once hit out at a gay rugby team in Belfast, accusing it of introducing a sporting "apartheid" against heterosexual players.

Mr Poots also ended up in court for upholding a ban on gay men giving blood and, in a separate case, objecting to gay couples adopting. In the former case an appeal judge overturned a finding that he was motivated by bias.

In the 2015 general election campaign, DUP health minister Jim Wells resigned amid a controversy about remarks he made about same sex couples.

Defending her party's stance on gay marriage in a recent interview, leader Arlene Foster insisted those who characterised the DUP as anti-gay were wide of the mark.

"They are wrong and they need to understand why we take those positions from a faith point of view and why we want to protect the definition of marriage," she said.

"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."

Additional reporting by the Press Association.