Britain's Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith appears on BBC TV's The Andrew Marr Show in London, Britain March 24, 2019. Jeff Overs/BBC/Handout via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s next prime minister must be someone who believes in Brexit, the former leader of the ruling Conservative Party Iain Duncan Smith said on Friday.

“A new leader can take (this) forward, and a leader that really believes in Brexit. The problem has been the negotiations have been conducted under the idea that this is a damage limitation exercise,” he told BBC Radio.

“It is very important that (...) we want the second phase to be led by someone who passionately believes in what 17.4 million people voted for, which was to leave the European Union.”

“Now is the time for a new set of hands with a proper professional team that actually believes in Brexit and gets us through the next phase.”