Changes

In 2010, the [[Labour Party]] unsuccessfully tried to agree to a governing alliance with the DUP, even though the Labour Party criticized the Conservative Party when they did the same thing seven years later.<ref>Hale, Virginia (June 12, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/06/12/leaked-hillary-emails-labour-begged-dup/ Leaked Hillary Clinton Emails Show Labour Begged DUP for Pact in 2010]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 12, 2017.</ref>

In 2010, the [[Labour Party]] unsuccessfully tried to agree to a governing alliance with the DUP, even though the Labour Party criticized the Conservative Party when they did the same thing seven years later.<ref>Hale, Virginia (June 12, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/06/12/leaked-hillary-emails-labour-begged-dup/ Leaked Hillary Clinton Emails Show Labour Begged DUP for Pact in 2010]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 12, 2017.</ref>

After [[Theresa May]]'s [[Conservative Party]] lost its majority in the [[House of Commons]], resulting in a hung parliament,<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/06/09/uk-election-theresa-may-to-ask-queen-permission-to-form-government-despite-losing-majority.html UK election: Theresa May to ask queen permission to form government despite losing majority]. ''Fox News''. June 9, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> she chose to begin talks with the DUP to form a coalition government.<ref>Hope, Christopher (June 9, 2017). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/exclusive-conservatives-dup-start-talks-agree-programme-government/ Exclusive: Conservatives and DUP start talks to agree 'programme for government' within days]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> In the same election, the DUP gained 10 seats, a record for the party.<ref name="Gilchrist"/> Because of its increased notability after the election and its conservative, right-wing positions, the DUP quickly became very well-known and unpopular among leftists.<ref>Hannan, Dan (June 19, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/pro-life-pro-brexit-pro-uk-how-northern-irelands-dup-became-the-enemy-of-the-left/article/2626130 Pro-life, pro-Brexit, pro-UK: How Northern Ireland's DUP became the enemy of the Left]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 19, 2017.</ref> The DUP's leader in 2017 was [[Arlene Foster]].<ref>Sawer, Patrick (June 9, 2017). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/dup-leader-arlene-foster-emerges-kingmaker/ Arlene Foster: DUP leader emerges as the kingmaker, but who is she?] ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> The two parties signed the agreement<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/tory-dup-deal-agreement-full/ Tory-DUP deal: The agreement in full]. ''The Telegraph''. June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref> on June 26, 2017.<ref>Montgomery, Jack (June 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/06/26/theresa-may-signs-confidence-supply-agreement-dup/ DUP Triumphant: Tories Forced to Protect Pensions Triple Lock and Commit to Armed Forces Covenant]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40403434 Conservatives agree pact with DUP to support May government]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref><ref>Kirka, Danica; Katz, Gregory (June 26, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/06/26/northern-ireland-party-leader-in-talks-with-conservatives.html UK's May makes deal she needs to govern, but critics abound]. ''Fox News'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref>

After [[Theresa May]]'s [[Conservative Party]] lost its majority in the [[House of Commons]], resulting in a hung parliament,<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/06/09/uk-election-theresa-may-to-ask-queen-permission-to-form-government-despite-losing-majority.html UK election: Theresa May to ask queen permission to form government despite losing majority]. ''Fox News''. June 9, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> she chose to begin talks with the DUP to form a coalition government.<ref>Hope, Christopher (June 9, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/exclusive-conservatives-dup-start-talks-agree-programme-government/ Exclusive: Conservatives and DUP start talks to agree 'programme for government' within days]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> In the same election, the DUP gained 10 seats, a record for the party.<ref name="Gilchrist"/> Because of its increased notability after the election and its conservative, right-wing positions, the DUP quickly became very well-known and unpopular among leftists.<ref>Hannan, Dan (June 19, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/pro-life-pro-brexit-pro-uk-how-northern-irelands-dup-became-the-enemy-of-the-left/article/2626130 Pro-life, pro-Brexit, pro-UK: How Northern Ireland's DUP became the enemy of the Left]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 19, 2017.</ref> The DUP's leader in 2017 was [[Arlene Foster]].<ref>Sawer, Patrick (June 9, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/dup-leader-arlene-foster-emerges-kingmaker/ Arlene Foster: DUP leader emerges as the kingmaker, but who is she?] ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> The two parties signed the agreement<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/tory-dup-deal-agreement-full/ Tory-DUP deal: The agreement in full]. ''The Telegraph''. June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref> on June 26, 2017.<ref>Montgomery, Jack (June 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/06/26/theresa-may-signs-confidence-supply-agreement-dup/ DUP Triumphant: Tories Forced to Protect Pensions Triple Lock and Commit to Armed Forces Covenant]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40403434 Conservatives agree pact with DUP to support May government]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref><ref>Kirka, Danica; Katz, Gregory (June 26, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/06/26/northern-ireland-party-leader-in-talks-with-conservatives.html UK's May makes deal she needs to govern, but critics abound]. ''Fox News'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved June 26, 2017.</ref>

==Policies==

==Policies==

===Social issues===

===Social issues===

On social issues, the DUP opposes [[abortion]] and [[same-sex "marriage"]].<ref name="Baker"/><ref name="Pasha-Robinson">Pasha-Robinson, Lucy (June 9, 2017). [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dup-hung-parliament-results-policies-manifesto-abortion-gay-marriage-climate-change-who-are-they-a7781656.html Why is the DUP so controversial? The party's stances on abortion, gay marriage and climate change explained]. ''The Independent''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> It has repeatedly blocked attempts to legalize homosexual "marriage" in Northern Ireland.<ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/> The DUP supports the reinstatement of the [[death penalty]] in the U.K.<ref name="Horton">Horton, Helena (June 9, 2017). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/7-things-didnt-know-dup/ 7 things you didn't know about the DUP]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> It does not accept [[global warming|climate change]] as absolute fact.<ref name="Kassam"/><ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/><ref name="Horton"/> Numerous [[young Earth creationists]] are counted among the senior membership of the DUP, and some have called for the teaching of creation alongside [[evolution]] in schools.<ref name="Baker"/><ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/><ref name="Horton"/>

On social issues, the DUP opposes [[abortion]] and [[same-sex "marriage"]].<ref name="Baker"/><ref name="Pasha-Robinson">Pasha-Robinson, Lucy (June 9, 2017). [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dup-hung-parliament-results-policies-manifesto-abortion-gay-marriage-climate-change-who-are-they-a7781656.html Why is the DUP so controversial? The party's stances on abortion, gay marriage and climate change explained]. ''The Independent''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> It has repeatedly blocked attempts to legalize homosexual "marriage" in Northern Ireland.<ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/> The DUP supports the reinstatement of the [[death penalty]] in the U.K.<ref name="Horton">Horton, Helena (June 9, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/7-things-didnt-know-dup/ 7 things you didn't know about the DUP]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> It does not accept [[global warming|climate change]] as absolute fact.<ref name="Kassam"/><ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/><ref name="Horton"/> Numerous [[young Earth creationists]] are counted among the senior membership of the DUP, and some have called for the teaching of creation alongside [[evolution]] in schools.<ref name="Baker"/><ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/><ref name="Horton"/>

===Brexit===

===Brexit===

The DUP is a [[Euroskeptic]] party. Regarding [[Brexit]], it strongly supported Brexit during the referendum campaign,<ref name="Kassam"/><ref>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-confirms-it-will-campaign-for-brexit-in-leaveremain-referendum-34470806.html DUP confirms it will campaign for Brexit in Leave/Remain referendum]. ''Belfast Telegraph''. February 20, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> and was the only major Northern Ireland party to do so.<ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/> However, it supports a "soft Brexit" due to its opposition to a "hard border" with [[Ireland]].<ref name="Baker">Baker, Neal (June 9, 2017). [https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3758814/dup-democratic-unionist-party-2017-manifesto-policies-mps-minority-government-arlene-foster/ Who are the DUP, how many MPs do they have and what policies are in the Democratic Unionist Party manifesto?] ''The Sun''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Hughes, Laura (June 9, 2017). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/suddenly-become-important-democratic-unionist-party-could-hold/ Who are the DUP and will they demand a soft Brexit to prop up the Tories?]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> Some DUP members closely aligned themselves with conservative pro-Brexit activist and former [[UKIP]] president [[Nigel Farage]] on the issue.<ref name="Kassam"/>

The DUP is a [[Euroskeptic]] party. Regarding [[Brexit]], it strongly supported Brexit during the referendum campaign,<ref name="Kassam"/><ref>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-confirms-it-will-campaign-for-brexit-in-leaveremain-referendum-34470806.html DUP confirms it will campaign for Brexit in Leave/Remain referendum]. ''Belfast Telegraph''. February 20, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> and was the only major Northern Ireland party to do so.<ref name="Pasha-Robinson"/> However, it supports a "soft Brexit" due to its opposition to a "hard border" with [[Ireland]].<ref name="Baker">Baker, Neal (June 9, 2017). [https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3758814/dup-democratic-unionist-party-2017-manifesto-policies-mps-minority-government-arlene-foster/ Who are the DUP, how many MPs do they have and what policies are in the Democratic Unionist Party manifesto?] ''The Sun''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Hughes, Laura (June 9, 2017). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/suddenly-become-important-democratic-unionist-party-could-hold/ Who are the DUP and will they demand a soft Brexit to prop up the Tories?]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> Some DUP members closely aligned themselves with conservative pro-Brexit activist and former [[UKIP]] president [[Nigel Farage]] on the issue.<ref name="Kassam"/>

===Fiscal issues===

===Fiscal issues===