Dominic Raab: ‘Staying in the EU is better than May’s Brexit plan’

Brexit secretary Dominic Raab. Photo: PA / Peter Nicholls - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has said staying in the EU would be preferable to exiting on Theresa May’s terms.

Asked if the PM’s deal was worse than remaining in the bloc, Raab told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I’m not going to advocate staying in the EU.

‘But, if you just presented me terms, this deal or EU membership, because we would effectively be bound by the same rules but without the control or voice over them, yes, I think this would be even worse than that.’

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Raab said the current agreement was unlikely to be passed by the Commons, and that ministers should contemplate leaving without one, saying: ‘We will, I think, inevitably see Parliament vote this deal down.

‘And then I think some of those other alternatives will need to come into play.’

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Anna Turley Labour MP for Redcar and leading supporter of the People’s Vote campaign said now all MPs are realising reality is not matching the Brexiteers’ promises.

She said: ‘Even Dominic Raab, the guy who negotiated this half-baked deal admits it isn’t as good as the one we’ve already got – inside the EU.

‘Every MP, from whichever side they stand on Brexit must now ask themselves the same question about a deal which is a million miles from what was promised.

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‘And, if they can’t look constituents in the eye and say it is better than staying in the EU, they must do what is right for the country: vote against this withdrawal agreement and hand the final decision back to the British public through a People’s Vote.’