Protracted power talks between Theresa May and Arlene Foster are expected to resume at Downing Street with the DUP leader raising prospects that a deal is finally set to be done.

The prime minister faces a countdown to settle an arrangement with the Democratic Unionists, days before her minority government attempts to get its Queen's Speech plans approved by the Commons.

UTV political editor Ken Reid has reported the deal is "expected to be agreed" at Number 10, quoting Ms Foster as saying it is "imminent".

The DUP has made it clear it will only agree a confidence and supply deal if it boosts Northern Ireland in terms of jobs and public services investment.

Labour has called for all parts of any potential agreement to be made public.

Tory grandee Lord Chris Patten told ITV's Peston on Sunday the alliance with the "toxic" DUP will be politically costly for the Conservatives.

"The DUP is a toxic brand and the Conservative Party has got itself back into the situation where there's a danger of it looking like the 'Nasty Party', to borrow from Theresa May," he said.

"Every vote will cost you. Every vote, you will have to find some way of paying for it and then explain to the Scots and the Welsh and people in the North East why they can't have the same thing too."