Is a bad deal better than remaining in the European Union?

Jacob Rees-Mogg warns Brexit could be lost if MPs vote down May’s deal again.

The leader of the Tory European Research Group says a long delay to Brexit could mean the UK never leaves the EU.

Leading Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned that Britain may never leave the European Union if Theresa May’s deal is voted down by MPs for a third time.

Mr Rees-Mogg, chairman of the influential Conservative European Research Group (ERG), said he still regarded the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement as a “very bad deal”.

However, he expressed concern that if there was now a long delay to the UK’s departure from the EU – due to take place on March 29 – Brexit could be thwarted altogether.

“No deal is better than a bad deal but a bad deal is better than remaining in the European Union,” he said during an LBC radio phone-in.

It is thought the Prime Minister could delay the crucial vote for another week unless she is confident of avoiding a third humiliating defeat on the package, which MPs rejected by 230 votes in January and 149 last week.

She has warned that if her deal is not approved, the UK will have to seek a lengthy extension to negotiations, potentially losing Brexit altogether.

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