DUP deny 42-day vote 'bribe'

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The Democratic Unionists insisted they had sided with the Government purely on the merits of the case for a 42-day pre-charge detention period.

But they said they would be reminding the major parties that they were a force to be reckoned with in future knife-edge votes.

With the Government winning by just nine votes, it was the DUP's support that swung the balance in the Prime Minister's favour.

Gregory Campbell, one of the DUP MPs, said their decision had come down to the wire and was influenced by concessions on the Bill from ministers in recent weeks.

It was only confirmed when they filed into the division lobbies in support of the Government's proposal.

"It was a very close call because of the complicated nature of safeguarding the UK as a whole from the international terrorist threat and preserving the civil liberties of the accused. But we came down in favour of the 42 days on the merits of the case."

Asked why they had taken until now to reach a decision, Mr Campbell rejected accusations from opponents of the anti-terror measure that they had been bribed by ministers.

Labour rebels claimed the DUP had obtained guarantees that the Government would block efforts to use the Human Embryology and Fertility Bill, currently going through Parliament, to loosen abortion rules in Northern Ireland.

They are also said to have cut a deal to keep revenue from water rates, which Westminster had been set to claw back. There was also speculation that revenue from the former military estate in Northern Ireland could stay with Stormont rather than being shared with the Exchequer. This could be worth £1 billion, according to some estimates.