May accused of bribing DUP with £1bn deal despite claiming 'there is no magic money tree'

The cash — branded a "bribe" —helps save Ms May's premiership following her botched election gamble and was found despite her having claimed

during the campaign that there is "no magic money tree".

But the agreement boosting health, education and infrastructure spending in Northern Ireland, as well potentially handing Belfast new tax-raising powers, faced an immediate UK-wide backlash.

Political leaders from every home nation attacked it, with one branding it a "stitch-up", another calling it a "shoddy little deal" and others warning it threatened peace in Northern Ireland.

But May insisted the bill —which could rise further — served "the whole United Kingdom", while her ministers pointed out the full amount of money would only be delivered if Sinn Fein returned to power-sharing in Northern Ireland, breaking a three-month deadlock at Stormont.

Monday's announcement brought to an end weeks of painstaking talks between the Tories and the DUP, which saw sources in Northern Ireland mocking a lack of negotiating prowess on May's team.

If the Prime Minister had failed to secure the DUP's support, she may not have been able to pass a vote approving her legislative agenda, set out in the Queen's Speech, leading to the likely collapse of her premiership.

Combined, the Conservatives and DUP now have a total of 327 MPs, meaning if they all vote together, they have a working majority of 13.