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European Reform Group chief Jacob Rees-Mogg has made a screeching u-turn indicating he could back Theresa May's deal after months of savaging it.

The ardent Brexiteer now says MPs face a choice between the Prime Minister's deal or no Brexit.

Mr Rees-Mogg, has described the deal as leaving Britain "a slave state",

But today he said in a podcast: "I have always thought that no-deal is better than Mrs May's deal. But Mrs May's deal is better than not leaving at all.

"I think it becomes the choice, eventually. But whether we are there yet is another matter ... Leaving the European Union, even leaving it inadequately and having work to do afterwards, is better than not leaving at all."

Here's five times he was less than complimentary about the deal he has now said he will back.



1. July 2018, Rees-Mogg said the white paper on which May's deal is based was the “greatest vassalage since King John”

(Image: NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/REX)





“This is the greatest vassalage since King John paid homage to Phillip II at Le Goulet in 1200.



"It is not something I would vote for nor is it what the British people voted for."



"In particular this paper sets out that the UK will be subject to EU laws while having no say in their creation. The Common Rule Book will not be Common it will be EU law, interpreted by the EU Court with the UK subjected to EU fines for non-compliance.



"In effect Parliament will have no say over future EU laws implemented in the UK.



“The UK has accepted that it will collect and hand over EU taxes. This is an unwanted intrusion into the control of our border. The absence of reciprocity is concerning and the cost to the taxpayer unknown.





“Taken as a whole this recreates many of the worst accepts of the EU the British people voted to leave. This does not respect the referendum result.”



2. November 2018, Rees-Mogg said May’s deal would turn the UK into a ‘slave state’.

(Image: PA)





"She hasn’t so much struck a deal as surrendered to Brussels and given in to everything they want and tried to frustrate Brexit that it’s not so much a vassal state anymore as a slave state."



3. January 2019, Rees-Mogg wrote an op-ed for the Daily Telegraph complaining May's deal would see us pay "39 billion for nothing at all"



(Image: FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)



“The potentially endless Customs Union, the separation between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and the risk of paying £39 billion for nothing are all still there.”



4. January 2019, Rees-Mogg hosted a champagne party after May's deal fell.

(Image: REUTERS)

Within hours of inflicting the biggest defeat in modern history on Tuesday night, hardline Brexiteers’ champagne corks were popping.

Jacob Rees-Mogg invited leading Tory eurosceptics including Boris Johnson, David Davis and Iain Duncan Smith to a celebration party.

Guests were greeted with a champagne flute at the door of the Tory MP’s £5 million mansion just minutes from the House of Commons.



Senior ERG member Sir Bill Cash proudly claimed: “It was a party and a celebration,”



5. Brexit ally Boris Johnson was also convinced the deal was worse than EU membership, calling it "worse than the status quo"



(Image: Getty Images)



He said the Prime Minister's Chequers plan would mean "abandoning our seat around the table in Brussels and continuing to accept the single market legislation".

"That seems to me to be a particular economic risk in Chequers and makes it substantially worse than the status quo."

But even the former Foreign Secretary seems to be rowing back on his earlier comments.

Although he's not quite ready to back the deal he was certainly edging that way in a speech to Telegraph subscribers.

He warned that Brexit may not happen if Mrs May's deal is defeated again.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Johnson told a readers' event in London: "If we vote it down again there is an appreciable and growing sense that we will not leave at all. That is the risk."

With reports suggesting more ERG climb-downs are on the way, Best for Britain supporter Rupa Huq MP commented: “Jacob Rees-Mogg and his gang are running scared. This is a humiliating u-turn.



“It’s a case of lions being led by donkeys. It must be incredibly confusing for his supporters; not long ago they were being told the Prime Minister’s deal would make us a ‘slave state’. In truth, he knows the momentum in parliament and in the country is for a public vote on Brexit, that’s why he’s now scrambling to change his tune.”



“But whether it's this deal or another deal, the public must be given the final say on Brexit."

