DUP is still propping up Theresa May despite going missing in Budget votes, insists Downing Street

Downing Street has insisted the DUP is still propping up Theresa May's government despite the party’s MPs voting against the Budget on Monday.

A confidence and supply agreement struck after last year's election sees the DUP order its 10 MPs to support the Conservatives in Parliament in exchange for an extra £1billion on public spending in Northern Ireland.

Without the DUP's backing, the government would be in the minority in Parliament and struggle to get key legislation through.

The agreement has come under threat in recent months with the DUP becoming increasingly angry at May’s Brexit plan, which could see Northern Ireland in a separate regulation regime to the rest of Britain before a trade deal with the EU comes into force.

On Monday evening, the DUP voted in favour of a Labour amendment to the Budget, and abstained on other votes throughout the week.

Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, a Downing Street source said: “It is our position that the confidence and supply agreement is still in place.”

When asked if the Government could rely on the DUP in future votes, such as those on the Brexit deal, the source said: “I’ve given you my answer.”

They were also keen to point out the DUP had themselves claimed the confidence and supply agreement is still in place, with party’s Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson arguing earlier this week that the votes were not intended “to damage the government fiscally.”

Speaking after backing a Labour amendment, Wilson said: “Since the government has not honoured its side of the bargain we tonight tried to spell out some of the consequences of that.”

Should the DUP not support the Brexit deal when it comes before MPs, May will face an even greater task at getting it through parliament.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Remain-backing Conservative MP Neil Parish added his voice to the opposition to May’s plan, just hours after another former anti-Brexit Tory, Hugo Swire, said he would “find it difficult to support” the deal.