Boris Johnson hints he might reconsider Theresa May's Brexit deal if UK re-negotiated with 'conviction'

  • Brexit

Boris Johnson has hinted he might be prepared to reconsider Theresa May's Brexit deal - if enough changes are made.

Mr Johnson told ITV News he would consider changing his position on the Prime Minister's deal - which he described as "deceased" last week - if the UK renewed talks with the EU with "conviction".

He said: "I think there is every chance that if the UK now negotiates with conviction and if we really mean it this time that we can secure the changes that we need."

Earlier the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier dealt a significant blow to Mrs May's hopes of agreement on her Plan B Brexit deal by ruling out a time-limit on the Irish backstop.

After suffering the crushing defeat of her EU Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons on January 14, Mrs May opened the door to start cross-party talks on her Plan B.

But despite the olive branch, Mrs May looks increasing as if she is looking to her own party to salvage her deal.

Jacob Rees-Mogg before making a speech at a meeting of the Bruges Group. Credit: PA

She appeared to double down on her opposition to rebel backbench amendments that seek to take no-deal off the table at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday as the threat of no Brexit led some within her party to suggest increasingly radical alternatives.

Mr Johnson's fellow Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg called for Parliament to be shut down if the attempt to remove the threat of a no-deal Brexit was successful

The leading Tory Brexiteer said that the Government must use its powers of "prorogation" to block a cross-party attempt to extend Article 50 to create more time to find a workable deal with Brussels.

He said that no-deal could only be taken off the table if the Government "connived in doing it".