If the election result has severely weakened Theresa May, it has correspondingly strengthened another female politician – Arlene Foster, the Democratic Unionist Party leader, who could be seen beaming with delighted party colleagues at the election count in Northern Ireland.
After a stormy year in Northern Ireland – in which the devolved Assembly collapsed amid allegations that Foster was to blame for a costly renewable heating scandal – the Westminster election appears to have restored the DUP’s fortunes beyond its wildest dreams: with the 10 seats it has won, it could now take on the role of ‘kingmakers’ in a minority Conservative government, and has already indicated its preparedness to lend support on a ‘confidence and supply’ arrangement rather than a formal coalition.
With this election, the DUP has also eliminated the Ulster Unionist Party from Westminster, once the seemingly unassailable behemoth of Unionist politics, which has now failed to return a single MP.
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