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Brexit secretary David Davis goes on live BBC interview with sick bucket, after vomiting moments before going on air

Minister appears on show with tissues and water after being struck with food poisoning

Lydia Smith
Sunday 25 March 2018 15:59 BST
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David Davis appears on BBC's The Andrew Marr Show with sick bucket after feeling unwell

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David Davis took part in a live interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday with a sick bucket beside him, after falling ill before he was due on the programme.

Having reportedly vomited just before he went on air, the Brexit Secretary was also seen with a glass of water and a box of tissues just in case of further bouts of illness.

Despite being unwell with food poisoning, Mr Davis managed to get through a discussion that focused on the the Irish border issue after Brexit.

Commentator Isabel Oakeshott, who also appeared on the programme, said on Twitter: "Drama on #Marr as @DavidDavisMP only just made it thru interview due to serious sick bug.

"We had a bucket on set...! That SAS training.."

Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun's political editor, hailed the minister's "extreme heroics".

On the show, Mr Davis said it was “incredibly probable” that the UK would reach a final deal with the EU, but said “you can never stop making arrangements” if a deal is not reached.

He likened the issue to having insurance, saying: “You don’t expect your house to burn down, it’s less than a one in 100,000 chance, but you have house insurance anyway.”

Mr Davis also said physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could be avoided with “a whole lot of technology”.

He also told the BBC show the Government was committed to protecting the Good Friday Agreement “at all costs” and would not “allow a return to the borders of the past”.

“There is a risk in trying to focus just on the downsides because the real likely outcome - the overwhelmingly likely outcome - is option A,” Mr Davis said.

“Option A is that we get a free-trade agreement, we get a customs agreement, all of those make the Northern Ireland issue much, much easier to solve.”

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