Sutton and Cheam MP Paul Scully has backed a deal between the Democratic Unionist Party and the Conservatives to prop up Theresa May's minority Government.

He said it was important to give as much certainty as possible to the electorate even if the party had 'views on some issues that I do not share'.

Mr Scully, who was re-elected as MP this month, said: “We must govern in the national interest and that means giving as much certainty as possible to the electorate, businesses and those around the world with whom we will be dealing over the coming period.

“The DUP are a democratically elected party who have been in power in the Northern Ireland Assembly for some time. Although they have views on some issues that I do not share, they are a different party from the one that Ian Paisley founded in the 1970s.”

Mr Scully also addressed the DUP’s stances on same sex marriage and abortion.

“I certainly don’t share the reported views on same sex marriage or abortion, views that are unfortunately clearly shared by many of their voters in Northern Ireland.”

He continued: “However these issues are both devolved issues and moral issues which are always subject to a free vote in our Parliament.

“I have had reassurance from the Prime Minister that there is absolutely no prospect of the rights of the LGBT community or women being curtailed or diluted but rather we will continue to see what more can and needs to be done in this area.”