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DEAL NOT DEAD

EU WILL cave to Theresa May’s demands to ditch the hated Brexit backstop, claims Jeremy Hunt

The Foreign Secretary insisted the PM's Brexit deal has a good chance of making it through the Commons

THERESA May WILL manage to push her Brexit deal through Parliament, Jeremy Hunt predicted today.

In a boost for the under-fire PM, the Foreign Secretary insisted she has a good chance of success in next month's Commons vote.

 Theresa May is taking her Brexit deal to the Commons next month
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Theresa May is taking her Brexit deal to the Commons next month

Mr Hunt called on Brussels to fix the hated "Irish backstop" - saying that would be the key to getting the deal done.

Dozens of MPs say they fear the backstop, meant to keep the Irish border open, will tie Britain to EU rules forever.

Mrs May is scrambling to secure a time limit for the proposal to reassure Brexit rebels the UK will be able to leave it.

Mr Hunt told the BBC: "The EU has agreed that the backstop is temporary and what we need them to do is define what temporary is.

 Jeremy Hunt insisted the deal will succeed
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Jeremy Hunt insisted the deal will succeedCredit: Reuters

"So my view is this is not the time to be talking about what other major changes we might be faced with making because actually we can get this through.

"We can get this through, absolutely can."

He insisted the ball is now in Brussels' court, adding: "If it is temporary then Parliament can live with that, but you need to show us.

"So I am a supporter of Theresa May's deal with those qualifications to the backstop.

 Eurocrats are under pressure to grant the PM more concessions
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Eurocrats are under pressure to grant the PM more concessionsCredit: AP:Associated Press

"I think MPs, as they reflect on how close we are to an agreement, but also how cataclysmic it would be if we didn't end up having an agreement we could get through Parliament, the best thing is to put our heads down and make sure we have a version of this agreement that we can get through Parliament."

The deal is expected to come to a vote in the week starting January 14.

Mrs May had to call off the original vote, scheduled to take place before Christmas, because she was on course for a heavy defeat.

But she is increasingly confident of winning this time around as nervous MPs worry about a No Deal outcome or a second referendum.

Germans sound the alarm at cost to EU of No Deal Brexit if we don’t give £39bn


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