Theresa May has raised concerns with Donald Trump about a trade dispute that threatens thousands of jobs in Northern Ireland amid pressure from the Democratic Unionist party.
Sources confirmed that the prime minister spoke to the US president and expressed her concerns that more than 5,000 jobs in Belfast could be put in jeopardy if Boeing won its case against rival plane maker Bombardier.
The DUP confirmed it had spoken to the cabinet in London about the threat. The party, whose 10 MPs have struck a deal to support May, asked for a senior minister to speak to the US government about Boeing’s case over Canadian firm Bombardier winning a contract to supply new planes to Delta Air Lines.
Boeing has complained to the authorities in the US that the deal enabling Bombardier to build 125 C-Series passenger jets for Delta was unfairly subsidised by a Canadian state.
The wings for the C-Series planes are made at Bombardier’s plant in east Belfast.
The US Department of Commerce is due to make a ruling on Boeing’s complaint this month and it could result in Bombardier having to pay punitive tariffs.
Trade unions representing workers at the Bombardier factory are understood to have been briefed by the Canadian aerospace company about the potential implications of the court case.
Responding to reports that May had intervened in the dispute, the DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the party was aware of the potential threat to jobs at one of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers.
“We have raised the issue at ministerial level,” the Lagan Valley MP told the Guardian on Monday night.
On reports that the prime minister spoke to Trump about the issue, Donaldson said: “We would be keen that she does intervene because it’s 5,000 jobs in Belfast which are at risk.
“We are aware that she was involved at looking at the issue. And we would welcome it if she was talking to President Trump because Bombardier is a huge investor in Northern Ireland. We are very concerned at the current situation. Any intervention by her would be extremely welcome.”
Boeing has objected to Bombardier’s deal with Delta, which the American plane maker claims was bolstered by a $1bn (£750m) investment bailout from the Quebec provincial government in Canada.
Seattle-based Boeing accuses its rival of receiving state aid to “aggressively target the US market”.
Bombardier has dismissed the allegations as “absurd” and insisted the injection of cash complies with laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where it does business.
Based at the old Shorts plane factory near George Best airport, the Bombardier plant employs about 5,500 people and is worth 10% of Northern Ireland’s overall manufacturing exports.
Its C-Series wing factory – Northern Ireland’s biggest inward investment project – was helped with a £120m loan from both the UK government and the devolved Stormont power-sharing administration. In terms of wages, Bombardier’s presence generates about £183m for the local economy every year.