THERESA May was last night on the verge of winning the DUP’s support for her Brexit deal in a huge breakthrough.

One Cabinet Minister said the chances of the Ulster unionists finally backing her agreement with the EU were now at “60:40” after crunch talks on new legal guarantees.

Chancellor Philip Hammond was also drafted into the talks in Whitehall yesterday – sparking speculation of a new cash package for Northern Ireland.

The PM’s current £1 billion confidence and supply deal with the DUP – struck after the 2017 Election – runs out this June.

A senior source told The Sun that Downing Street hoped to unveil the DUP’s backing on Monday – 24 hours before the PM is expected to put her Brexit deal back before the Commons in ‘Meaningful Vote 3’.

They said: “Talks have been going on all day and the plan is to have something ready to announce on Monday.”

The DUP’s support would give the PM 10 extra votes – and potentially convince dozens of Tory Brexiteer rebels to follow suit.

Ex-Minister Esther McVey last night indicated she could now back the PM.

BREXIT BREAKTHROUGH HOPE

Ministers are negotiating a new package with the DUP built around guarantees on the ‘Irish’ backstop and a commitment to no divergence between Northern Ireland and

Great Britain on customs rules after Brexit.

The DUP want Theresa May to put a legal guarantee in the Withdrawal Bill – which will put the EU deal into UK law – that Britain will never put a ‘virtual border’ down the Irish Sea.

A separate ‘Stormont Lock’ would give Northern Ireland a final veto on any future solution to the backstop – designed to avoid a hard border with the Republic.

DUP Westminster chief Nigel Dodds met with de-facto deputy PM David Lidington, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Tory chief whip Julian Smith yesterday morning. He then lunched with the Chancellor.

Speaking to reporters afterwards Mr Dodds said: “We have had good discussions today, those discussions will continue over the coming period of time. We want to get a deal, we have always been in that frame in mind.

“A lot will depend on what the government is able to do.”

He insisted that “cash” wasn’t brought up. But one Government insider last night said: “Money wasn’t central to the talks. But I wouldn’t rule that out further down the line.”

Downing Street believes there are 25 to 50 Tory Eurosceptic “diehards” who won’t vote for the deal –even with the DUP on board.

Theresa May met with 30 Tories who ‘switched’ to backing her deal earlier this week in No.10 on Thursday – including David Davis, Nadine Dorries and Tim Loughton.

Sources claimed Mr Davis urged the PM to change her negotiating team for the next phase of Brexit talks.

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