OCTOBER 31 — Before 2017, there had only been one formal confidence and supply agreement (CSA) in the United Kingdom (UK).

That was the 1977 “Lib-Lab pact” – the CSA between Liberal party and Labour party. The latter was the party in government with Jim Callaghan, the prime minister.

In exchange for their support, the Liberal MPs, led by David Steel, were granted a number of minor concessions. Most notably an “understanding” that Labour MPs would be given a free vote on the electoral system to be used in the forthcoming European parliamentary elections.

The Liberal leader had hoped this would result in the House of Commons supporting a proportional system. When more than 70 Labour MPs abstained from supporting the system, the pact was effectively over.

The only substantive policy achieved by the Liberals under the pact was the implementation of a profit-sharing scheme for business.

But the CSA did provide political stability. It kept the Labour Party in power, during which time there was a modest economic recovery.

The Liberals eventually broke off the pact in August 1978. Labour reverted to a minority government and negotiated agreements on a policy-by-policy basis with various minor parties until it finally lost a vote of confidence in March 1979.

In 2017, when Prime Minister Theresa May decided to call a general election in order to increase her majority in the House of Commons but which resulted in a hung Parliament, May’s Conservative government had to secure other votes in the House of Commons in order to govern and avoid losing a vote of no confidence.

May had the option to govern as a minority government, which would be highly unstable. Given the circumstances, May led the Conservative party with 318 MPs to enter into a CSA with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), a unionist party from Northern Ireland with 10 MPs in the House of Commons.

The CSA was agreed in June 2017, which was published and can be read here:

Under the CSA, the DUP would support the government on all motions of confidence and supply. It would also support the government on legislation concerning the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU), and legislation pertaining to national security.

In return, the government committed itself to allocating an additional £1 billion on public spending for Northern Ireland. Under the CSA’s working arrangements for the CSA, the government and the DUP would work together by means of a co-ordination committee.

The £1 billion of financial support would go towards six areas, namely (1) infrastructure development, (2) health service transformation, (3) broadband development, (4) immediate pressures in health and education, (5) pockets of severe deprivation and (6) mental health.

As for the duration of the CSA, parties agreed that it was to remain in place for the length of the Parliament, and reviewable by the mutual consent of both parties. It was further agreed that after each Parliamentary session both parties would review the aims, principles and implementation of the CSA.

The CSA enabled Prime Minister May to form a stable minority government by securing the DUP’s 10 crucial parliamentary votes. In return, Northern Ireland received a cash grant over five years.

Did the DUP trade its soul for cash in the CSA?

Critics argued that the DUP prioritized financial transactions over political integrity and long-term stability.

The DUP, however, strongly defended the CSA as “delivering tangible, practical prosperity to the constituents”.

The additional public spending for Northern Ireland can be tracked here:

It’s cash for the public not the MPs.

So, is CSA Confidence and Supply Agreement or Cash for Soul Agreement?

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.