Theresa May has repeatedly refused to say whether she would back Brexit now, claiming how people would vote in a referendum on the final deal is "not the issue".

The prime minister ruled out answering any "hypothetical questions" when quizzed by Sky News on her support for Brexit during a trip to South Africa.

Asked whether she would now vote to leave the EU, the former Remain supporter said: "We're not in the business of having a second referendum on Brexit.

"What we're in the business of doing is delivering Brexit. So actually what somebody would vote for today is not the issue.

Image: The PM has previously ruled out a referendum on the final Brexit terms

"The issue is: are we doing what the British people wanted? The answer is yes - this government is delivering it."


Mrs May also refused to be drawn on a warning from her former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, that her Chequers proposal would risk harming Britain's economy.

She said simply that the proposed plan for a future relationship with Brussels would be a "a good deal for the UK" and "a good deal for the EU".

'Given that we know what Brexit will look like, would you vote for Brexit now?' Prime Minister Theresa May refuses to say whether she thinks the UK will be better or worse off outside the EU when pressed by @lewis_goodall.



For more, head here: https://t.co/eQYPTZFWfD pic.twitter.com/MXpHcPiavt — Sky News Politics (@SkyNewsPolitics) August 28, 2018

And Mrs May paid tribute to her "great welcome" to South Africa, after the prime minister joined in with a group of dancing pupils during a visit to a school in Cape Town.

"I think the chances of Strictly Come Dancing coming calling are pretty minimal," she said.

"I have to say it was a great welcome from the school today, everybody was dancing, it was great excitement, a fantastic moment and a great welcome to South Africa."

Responding to a question about nicknames it may have earned her, Mrs May said: "I've been called many things in my time."

PM dances with South African schoolkids

Tom Brake, a Liberal Democrat MP and supporter of the People's Vote campaign for a referendum on the final Brexit deal, told Sky News "we cannot allow Theresa May to avoid this crucial question".

He asked: "Why is she pursuing a policy that she knows will make our country poorer and weaker? That is not what anyone, including her, voted for in 2016."

Jeremy Corbyn also recently refused six times to say whether he thought Britain would be better off after Brexit.

The Labour leader has not ruled out backing another referendum but previously said it is not something he is "calling" or "asking" for, and claimed "the ship has sailed" on Britain staying in the EU.

Earlier on Tuesday Mrs May was asked about a potential leadership threat from Mr Johnson.

She said: "I've been asked before whether I intended to lead the Conservative party into the next election and I've said before I'm in this for the long-term."