Jeremy Hunt has insisted there is "no turning back" on Brexit, warning that failing to deliver it would "see the rise of a large populist movement".

As the countdown continues to leaving the EU on 29 March, the foreign secretary acknowledged that the government faced "a difficult few weeks ahead".

But he still believes an agreement could be reached with Brussels.

His comments to Romanian TV come after Theresa May secured parliamentary support to go back to Brussels in a bid to hammer out a fresh agreement that does not include the controversial Irish border backstop

The backstop is an insurance policy that would prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic if the UK and EU cannot reach an agreement on trade.


Image: The foreign secretary acknowledges the government faces 'a difficult few weeks ahead'

It would mean Northern Ireland having to abide by EU regulations indefinitely.

Tory Brexiteers and the DUP have said they will not support Mrs May's deal while the backstop is included.

The prime minister is due to report back to parliament on her negotiations with the EU on 13 February, with a further series of votes by MPs expected the following day.

However, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has already warned there will be no renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement, insisting it is "the only deal possible".

Juncker: Deal will not be renegotiated

Speaking during a trip to Romania, Mr Hunt said: "There is no turning back. Brexit is going to happen.

"I don't hear any loud parliamentary voices saying they want to reverse Brexit.

"There's lots of people in parliament who are passionately keen to stop a no-deal situation.

"Even people who voted Remain understand that we are a democracy and we have a duty to do what the people told us to do but we need to do it in the right way.

"I think in the UK if we don't deliver Brexit, that's when we will see the rise of a large populist movement.

"As it happens we are very proud of the moderate traditions of our politics."

Mr Hunt added: "I want to keep those moderate traditions, but that means we have got to listen to people when they give us a clear instruction.

"In the UK, the principal concern that people felt that we as the political class weren't listening to their concerns about immigration and Brexit became the touchstone issue."

On a visit to Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday, shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the PM of "running down the clock".

"She's negotiated for two years and got nowhere," he said.

He told Sky News that it was "looking inevitable" that the UK's departure from the bloc would need to be delayed.

Even arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has now signalled he may be willing to accept a short delay to Brexit if it is required to finalise legislation around a deal.

He said "it was not impossible" as long as any delay was not used for further "vacuous negotiations" with Brussels.

Meanwhile, Sky News understands that Nissan is to scrap its plans to build the new X-Trail model at its Sunderland plant.

The Japanese firm said back in 2016 it would be building the new version of the SUV at the factory along with its next-generation Qashqai, which was seen at the time as a major vote of confidence in the country's manufacturing future.

Nissan has refused to comment on the reports.