Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab says Theresa May’s deal is worse than staying in the EU

Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has said that Britain would be better off staying in the EU than leaving on the terms of Theresa May’s plan.



Mr Raab, who quit the Cabinet last week in protest at the terms of the draft withdrawal agreement, said it would “inevitably” be voted down when put before MPs next month.

Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, he said: “I’m not going to advocate staying in the EU.

“But, if you just presented me the terms, this deal or EU membership, because we would effectively be bound by the same rules but without the control or voice over them, yes, I think this would be even worse than that.”

Asked if he would prefer there to be a negotiated no-deal, he added: “I would certainly be up for making a best final offer and then considering no-deal deals like that but I think, in fairness, that’s not the course the Prime Minister has taken.

"I respect all of my cabinet colleagues, from those that campaigned to remain and to leave, and those in between...

“I think inevitably we will see Parliament vote this deal down and then I think some of those other alternatives will need to come into play.”

The leading Brexiteer walked away from the Government last week, saying he could not back the deal “in good conscience”.

He added: “I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit.”

The Prime Minister has defended the agreement as the “right deal for the UK”.

On the steps of Downing Street yesterday she claimed a final agreement with Brussels was “within our grasp.”

She added: “It delivers on the vote of the referendum. It brings back control of our borders, our money and our laws. And it does so while protecting jobs, protecting security, and protecting the integrity of the United Kingdom.”

Pro-Remain MPs leapt on Mr Raab’s comments, with Labour MP David Lammy tweeting: “Just over a week ago Dominic Raab was in charge of negotiating May’s Brexit deal.

"This morning… he conceded it is worse than our continued EU membership. If MPs are allowed to change their minds, the public must be given the same opportunity.”

Dr Philip Lee, who resigned from the Government over Brexit in June, added: “Credit to Dominic Raab for publicly saying he’d rather remain in the EU than accept the government’s Brexit ‘deal’.

"If it’s unacceptable to him how do we know that it’s acceptable to the 17.4 million people who voted Leave in 2016? We need to ask the British public to know."