Theresa May refuses to say her deal is better than staying in EU, during live radio phone-in

Prime minister dodges question on whether she would resign if MPs voted against the agreement

Theresa May faces public interrogation in live radio phone-in as Brexit negotiations with Europe continue

Theresa May refused to say her Brexit deal was better than staying in the EU when she answered questions from the public on live radio.

The prime minister also dodged a question on whether she would resign if MPs voted against the agreement, but insisted that Brussels would not offer better terms.

She appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live on Friday afternoon a few hours after former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab hit out at the deal, branding it as "even worse than remaining."

EU diplomats are meeting to finalise the draft divorce between Britain and the bloc, with Spain threatening to oppose any deal that does not give it a say on the future of Gibraltar.

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Key Points

• Prime minister dodges question on whether her deal is better than staying in the EU
• Theresa May refuses to say whether she will resign if MP's reject her Brexit deal
• EU will not offer better terms and UK 'will be back at square one', says PM
• Dominic Raab hits out at withdrawal agreement, calling it worse than remaining in EU
• Spain threatens to oppose divorce if denied say on future of Gibraltar

[23 November 2018 12:42 · Benjamin Kentish]

5Live's Emma Barnett asks Theresa May whether, if her deal is voted down, it will result in no-deal or no Brexit.

May says if the deal is rejected, the UK will be "back at square one" and the EU will not offer a better deal.

Rejection of her plan would cause "more division and more uncertainty", she says, adding that there are MPs who will argue for no-deal and others who want to frustrate Brexit. She says she wants to deliver Brexit and that all her focus will be on "getting the vote through".

She repeatedly refuses to be drawn on what her Plan B is if MPs reject her proposal. 

[23 November 2018 12:46 · Benjamin Kentish]

Brendan in Hartlepool calls in to ask Theresa May about the £39bn Brexit divorce bill and raises fears that the figure could increase.

The prime minister claims the government "negotiated it down" at a time when some people were speculating the ultimate figure could be £100bn.

She admits that extending the transition period would mean the UK had to pay more, but says there is also the option of the Northern Ireland backstop, which would not require a greater financial contribution.

[23 November 2018 12:48 · Benjamin Kentish]

Will May resign if her deal is rejected by MPs, Emma Barnett asks?

The prime minister says she is focused on making sure it does get through Parliament.

When pushed, she says "this isn't about me". Pushed further, she says only that she isn't thinking about herself and is only focused on on delivering her deal.

So no plans to resign? "My focus is on getting this deal through."

[23 November 2018 12:53 · Benjamin Kentish]

One questioner asks why May is treating the will of the Scottish people "with such contempt" when the region voted to Remain.

She says "we joined the European Union as the United Kingdom and we will leave the European Union as the United Kingdom".

"It's right to take the view that came from across the whole of the United Kingdom," she adds.

[23 November 2018 12:58 · Benjamin Kentish]

Several callers have said they support May's Brexit deal. 

Another asks whether the prime minster thinks her deal is better for the UK than remaining in the EU.

She doesn't really answer - again - but says there were parts of EU membership, such as freedom of movement, that caused people concern. During the campaign she supported Remain but said leaving wouldn't be a disaster, she adds.

The caller says she hasn't answered his question.

May responds: "I think we will be better off in a situation where we have control of all those things and are able to trade around the rest of the world."

It's a "different sort of better off" she adds...

[23 November 2018 13:01 · Benjamin Kentish]

One caller asks how much sleep the prime minister gets and whether she falls asleep dreaming of Brexit. 

May says she doesn't, but that she usually doesn't get to bed until after midnight. 

Emma Barnett finishes by asking May how she will celebrate with her husband, Philip, if her deal is approved. 

"We'll have a drink", she replies. 

And that's the end of the phone-in.

[23 November 2018 13:19 · Benjamin Kentish]

The key moment during that phone-in came towards the end, when Theresa May repeatedly refused to say she thought her deal was better for the UK than remaining in the EU. 

The prime minister spent most of the half-hour insisting she would be going all out to convince MPs to back her proposal. That will be made harder by her seeming so reluctant to endorse it over the status quo.

[23 November 2018 13:39 · Benjamin Kentish]

A "Costupper" shop has been opened on Peckham High Street by the People's Vote campaign in a bid to draw attention to the risks of leaving the EU.

Products on sale include "Conman's Mustard" and "Save Our Bacon". 

[23 November 2018 14:50 · Peter Stubley]

While Theresa May has been widely criticised for refusing to say whether her deal was better than staying in the EU, others have questioned the relevance of some of the other questions put by the public.

At one point Nigel from Tamworth asked whether the prime minister would be sending Christmas cards to David Cameron and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Ms May replied: "All my Conservative colleagues I send Christmas cards to."

[23 November 2018 14:58 · Peter Stubley]

Business leaders have also expressed concern about the withdrawal agreement, with leaked internal emails from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) describing it as "not a good deal."