Backlash against Tory-DUP deal grows as petition hits 500000 signatures

British Prime Minister Theresa May's office said on Saturday that Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party had agreed to support her minority government on an informal basis in parliament, the Press Association reported. She gave no details on how the relationship with the DUP would work - whether they would form a formal coalition or operate on a "confidence and supply" arrangement.

The European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier appears to be giving Britain time to regroup in the wake of the Prime Minister Theresa May's election setback and said "Brexit negotiations should start when U.K.is ready".

The DUP backed Brexit in last year's referendum.

The election result leaves Westminster in chaos with just 10 days before the Brexit negotiations are due to begin.

He says the election was not a referendum on Brexit and that he fully expected the process to continue, but that results could make negotiations more hard.

THERESA May was spotted out shopping today as she despatched her Chief Whip to Belfast to hammer out a deal with the DUP and help form a Government.

The result will heap pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May to resign, after she called a snap election in the hope of increasing the Conservative majority in Parliament to strengthen her position in Brexit negotiations.

Numerous key cabinet posts have already been declared as unchanged from the previous government, including Philip Hammond as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Amber Rudd as home secretary, Boris Johnson as foreign secretary, David Davis as Brexit secretary and Michael Fallon as the in-charge of the ministry of defence. But the governing Conservative Party has suffered big losses in the election and is on the verge of losing its parliamentary majority.

The talks with the DUP leader Arlene Foster will be on "how best they can provide support" for Mrs May's government.

In a defiant speech on the steps of Downing Street, the Prime Minister made clear she would now rely on support from the Democratic Unionist Party to prop up her administration and push legislation through the House of Commons.

"I didn't know who the DUP were, I had to Google them, as many people no doubt in this country would have had to Google them".

While May's top team has been left unchanged, she will have to fill gaps in her ministerial team after nine junior ministers lost their seats in what has been characterised as a disastrous election night for the ruling party, with the shock results going against every pre-election opinion poll forecast and the Jeremy Corbyn-led Opposition Labour faring far better than predicted.

The DUP favors Brexit but wants to preserve its open border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member even after Britain leaves the European Union.

The Times newspaper's front page declared "May stares into the abyss".

"I would have thought that's enough to go, actually, and make way for a government that will be truly representative of all of the people of this country", said Corbyn.

"She is now reliant on the DUP and absolute loyalty from the Conservative Party - loyalty that was not given to her over the Budget".