Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May replies to questions after speaking at the Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) annual conference in London, Britain, November 19, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville

BELFAST (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May made a direct appeal to Northern Irish voters on Tuesday to back her Brexit deal, writing in the Belfast Telegraph that the deal would put the region in a “fantastic position.”

“Under this deal the future is certainly bright for Northern Ireland. It will be a gateway to both the EU market and the rest of the UK’s market,” said May. The newspaper is known for its unionist views, supporting continued British rule of the province.

May’s deal has met angry resistance from Northern Ireland’s largest party, the Democratic Unionist Party, which props up her government in the British parliament.