Churchill’s grandson urges support for May

A powerful intervention in defence of May’s plan came from the grandson of another Tory prime minister. Nicholas Soames, who is descended from Winston Churchill, says the deal on offer is a ‘golden prize’ which manages to divorce the UK from the EU ‘with frankly minimum damage’ to either side.

Lawmakers would earn the “undying contempt” of the British people if they reject it, he said. “I am truly sad that our wonderful country has reached this pass,” he said. “But I feel very strongly that we really must not reject this agreement and go back to square one, which would mean perhaps another deeply divisive and very unhappy referendum. That would mean the most damaging uncertainty economically.”

He closed by tapping his grandfather’s rhetoric, saying “Come, let us go forward together and settle this now.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond said: ”This deal is the best deal for leaving the EU that is available or is going to be available. The idea that there’s a better deal to be negotiated at the 11th hour is a delusion.”