The leader of Theresa May’s new hard right allies demanded that the Scottish Government introduce curbs on its same sex marriage laws, a former Scottish minister has said.

Marco Biagi, who served as the Scottish Government’s minister for local government and community empowerment from 2014-16, said Arlene Foster had contacted him in 2015 to demand changes to Scotland’s planned laws.

Ms Foster, acting in her capacity as a minister for the Northern Ireland Executive, had demanded that Scotland exclude same-sex couples from Northern Ireland from being able to get married in Scotland, the former minister said.

“When I was a minister DUP's Arlene Foster wrote to me asking us to curtail access of Northern Irish citizens to Scottish same-sex marriages,” he said on Twitter.

He added: “I said no. Specifically this was couples with prior Northern Irish civil partnerships, who couldn’t switch for marriages in NI (or England and Wales).”

Mr Biagi said the exchange had happened in 2015 and that the Scottish Government was in the process of introducing the conversion procedure from civil partnership to marriages.

He added: “England and Wales still only convert their own civil partnerships. Scotland converts anyone’s. We had to consult internationally with other governments first.”

Ms Foster has been leader of the Democratic Unionist Party since December 2015 and Northern Ireland First Minister from January 2016.

Arlene Foster, DUP leader (Reuters)

The DUP takes a hard-right and ultra-religious view on gay rights and women’s rights – opposing same-sex marriage and abortion even in instances where a woman is raped.

Same-sex marriage and abortion are both still effectively banned in Northern Ireland despite it being part of the United Kingdom. The DUP vetoed a recent vote by the other parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly to legalise same sex marriage, using a mechanism under the power sharing arrangement meant to preserve the peace process.

General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Show all 7 1 /7 General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Nick Clegg Picture By Darren O'Brien/Guzelian Picture Shows Former MP, Nick Clegg delivers a speech despite losing the Sheffield Hallam Seat. Labour candidate, Jared O'Mara (Front), defeats Nick Clegg to take the Sheffield Hallam seat. picture taken 08/06/2017 Darren O'Brien General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Gavin Barwell LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 07: Gavin Barwell MP arrives at Number 10 Downing Street on October 7, 2013 in London, England. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced a Government reshuffle today. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) Getty General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Angus Robertson General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Nicola Blackwood PA General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Alex Salmond PA General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Rob Wilson Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoffrey Swaine/REX (1096138i) Rob Wilson, Conservative MP for Reading Funeral of Murdered Student Asha Muneer at Rivermead Leisure Centre, Reading, Britain - 28 Jan 2010 Rex Features General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Ben Gummer Minister for the Cabinet Office Ben Gummer arriving at 10 Downing Street, London for the weekly cabinet meeting. PA

Theresa May stood on the steps of Downing Street this weekend and described the DUP as her “friends” – the Conservatives are currently in negotiations with the DUP to prop up a minority government with a supply and confidence arrangement.

The deal comes after voters unexpectedly rejected the Conservatives at the general election, denying Ms May a majority in the House of Commons and defying most pollsters’ expectations. The Conservatives will be reliant on DUP support to pass anything through Parliament, giving them an effective veto.