DUP will encourage Conservative lawmakers to oppose Brexit deal

DUBLIN, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will encourage like-minded members of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government to oppose his Brexit deal, one of its 10 members of parliament said on Thursday.

"We will encourage others to oppose it," Sammy Wilson told Irish national broadcaster RTE, saying he did not know how many hardline Brexiteers in Johnson's Conservative Party would vote with the DUP in Saturday's vote to ratify the agreement.

"I don't think it's for me to speak for them, other than to say that I have just left the House of Commons and on my way out I was stopped by at least four Conservatives who told me that they think that this is a disgraceful way to behave so we will fight this."

"In the past (former prime minister) Theresa May thought she had got people on board and then found to her surprise that they weren't and I suspect there is every chance that this might happen again on Saturday."

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Alistair Smout)