Conservative minister invents stat that '80% of people support' Theresa May's Brexit deal in live interview

Rory Stewart made the statistic up and was forced to apologise live on Radio 5 Live

A government minister resorted to making up statistics during a live radio interview as he attempted to defend Theresa May's draft Brexit deal on Thursday afternoon.

Minister of state at the Ministry of Justice, Rory Stewart, claimed that “80 per cent of the British public" supported the proposed plan for Britain's exit of the European Union, despite having no evidence to back up the claim.

“80% of the British public support this deal….



“I’m producing a number to try to illustrate what I believe…



“I totally apologise for that and I take that back”



Bizarre moment as Govt minister @RoryStewartUK invents #Brexit stat in interview with @EmmaBarnett. pic.twitter.com/QtZvts7mdM — BBC Radio 5 Live (@bbc5live) November 15, 2018

Speaking on Radio 5, Stewart said: "The game that the Brexiteers are playing at the moment is extremely dangerous, they're not being honest with people about the risks they're taking. What they are doing is radically increasing the risks of us crashing out with no plan and no deal and that will be catastrophic for our economy and it will create huge divisions in British society.

"The game that the Brexiteers are playing at the moment is extremely dangerous, they're not being honest with people about the risks they're taking. One of the advantages of this deal, and the reason 80 per cent of the British public support this deal is because what it does-"


But presenter Emma Barnett interrupted, asking where the May-supporting minister had got the stat from: "Eighty per cent of the British people support this deal? The draft deal? How on earth do we know that yet?"

Stewart then explained: "I’m producing a number to try to illustrate what I believe, that the people who are rejecting this are ten per cent on either fringe, but obviously this is not coming from an opinion poll."

Later Barnett pressed Stewart on his made up figures: "With all due respect you don't know that yet because the deal has only been in the public domain for a matter of hours. We went from 80 per cent of people supporting it to us not knowing it yet. And I think it's a dangerous game when politicians pretend to know what people are feeling."

To which Stewart replied: "I totally apologise for that and I take that back, but I do really feel if we're given an opportunity to calmly explain this deal many people who are currently worried about it will be reassured."

The interview comes in the wake of five senior Tories resigning today after Theresa May announced her plans for a Brexit deal with the European Union on Wednesday night.

This afternoon, Jacob Rees-Mogg became one of a number of backbench MPs to submit a no confidence letter to the 1922 Committee, as it nears 48 threshold that would trigger a vote on position May's position. A Tory leadership contest is expected in the coming days.