A BBC Question Time member has spoken of being “petrified” of the prospect of the Conservative Party forming a “coalition of chaos” with the Democratic Unionist Party as senior Tories also express their dismay.
Theresa May is looking to seal a deal with them to allow her to form a minority government with the Northern Irish DUP’s ten seats after her general election gamble spectacularly backfired.
The party has since faced increased scrutiny over its anti-abortion and same-sex marriage stances, as well as members denying climate change is made-made.
The Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has sought assurances from May that any deal will not affect LGBTI rights, and Tory MP Tom Tugendhat tweeted he “joined a party that introduced equal marriage, backs civil rights and defends freedom of faith”. “Those principles won’t be compromised,” he added.
And it came to a head on Question Time, which came from London. One audience member asked Tory Cabinet minister Chris Grayling about his view that “there’s nothing unusual about parties working together”. She added:
“What is unusual is that we have a party like the DUP, which is anti-same-sex marriage, which denies climate change, at the forefront of British politics, and I am absolutely petrified at the prospect of such a ‘coalition of chaos’.
“I’m worried about the direction they’ll take our country. I’m terrified about that.”
Grayling responded:
“Parties work together often disagreeing significantly about issues that are important to one or the other. Sinn Fein and the DUP worked side-by-side in Northern Ireland and the administration.
“We were with the Liberal Democrats for five years, we didn’t always agree.
“I fundamentally disagree with the DUP about same-sex marriage but it’s part of the way of life in England, Wales and Scotland.”