Brexit deal: Theresa May defends EU agreement in press conference after flurry of cabinet resignations

Asked about a second referendum, she says: "As far as I'm concerned there will not be a second referendum".

"No I don't regret calling a general election," says Theresa May, as the press conference comes to a close.

During the press conference, May said there were two inescapable facts about the Brexit deal and nobody had put forward any alternative proposal that dealt with them.

She said: "One simple fact remains and that is that nobody has produced any alternative proposal which both delivers on the referendum and also ensures there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

"There is another inescapable fact - there is no deal which can be agreed with the EU that does not involve a backstop to act as an insurance policy against a return to the borders of the past in Northern Ireland.

"All the other approaches - Norway, Canada Plus - would all require a backstop.

"And the alternative of repudiating that backstop would not only mean reneging on a promise to the people of Northern Ireland but it would also collapse the negotiations and end hopes of securing a deal."

Penny Mordaunt has left Downing Street after meeting with Theresa May. Significantly, she got into a ministerial car, suggesting she has not resigning. Or not yet, at least. 

Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis has send out an email to supporters telling them the deal "will allow us to put the divisions of the referendum behind us".

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has warned Conservative backbench “Leavers” they run the risk of the UK staying inside the European Union if they oppose Theresa May's draft withdrawal agreement.

Mr Cairns also stated his support for the prime minister after leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg submitted a letter of no confidence in her leadership.

Asked about the wave of ministerial resignations and calls for Ms May to be ousted as prime minister, Mr Cairns said the government's lack of a majority in parliament meant any successor would find it equally hard to satisfy all parties.

Mr Cairns said: “Changing the prime minister doesn't change the arithmetic of Parliament, so therefore colleagues need to accept the context in which we're working in.

“I would say to the hardliner Leavers who want to leave without a deal that they run the risk of not having a Brexit.

“And I would say to the ones who are Remainers who want to ignore the outcome of the referendum that they're running the risk of leaving without a deal, which is the worst that each side would want.

“So this tries to bring together a pragmatic solution that takes control of our laws, our borders and our money, and on that basis we'll be honouring the outcome of the referendum.

“We'd be an independent trading nation once again, and I suspect if David Cameron had offered this at the time he came back from European negotiations I suspect there would've been a massive majority for it.”

Mr Cairns admitted the draft agreement was a “compromise”, and described the “backstop” plan to prevent a hard border in Ireland as a “negative” aspect.

PA

Still not had enough of Theresa May? She's hosting a phone in on LBC tomorrow morning from 8am, the radio station has announced.

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In case you missed it, The Independent's political editor, Joe Watts, threw the prime minister a curve ball earlier today.