Conservative gay rights campaigners have raised concerns over the views of Theresa May’s new parliamentary allies in the Democratic Union Party (DUP).

The Prime Minister was forced to enter discussions with the DUP after failing to secure a House of Commons majority following the general election.

Ms May will need the Northern Irish party’s 10 MPs to help her pass key legislation after the Conservatives fell eight seats short of winning a majority of their own.

However, the DUP’s opposition to gay marriage and a history of controversial comments about homosexuality led many to question whether they would be given influence over Government equalities policy.

Matthew Green, chairman of LGBT+ Conservatives, said the DUP’s stance on gay rights was “appalling”.

“The DUP and some of its MLAs [members of the Northern Irish assembly] hold some pretty appalling views on LGBT rights”, he wrote in an article for the Huffington Post. “The party’s entrenched opposition to equal marriage has prevented the LGBT population in Northern Ireland from benefitting for the same rights as LGBT people in the rest of the United Kingdom and this is unacceptable.”

Mr Green said it was “unpalatable” for the Conservatives to work with the DUP but said he “understood” why the Prime Minister had taken the decision to do so. Read more via the Independent