Polling expert says too many MPs are against no-deal Brexit for it to happen

Sir John Curtice says business wants deal struck for departure

It’s pretty clear the government will collapse if it tries to go for no deal. PROFESSOR SIR JOHN CURTICE

A no-deal Brexit is almost certainly not going to happen, a leading pollster has predicted.

Professor Sir John Curtice said any attempt by the Conservative government to crash out of the EU would force its collapse given the opposition to this in the Commons.

Speaking to The Courier, the public opinion expert said executive boards are generally opposed to Brexit, but are worried about the dangers of defying the referendum result.

“The one thing that business clearly doesn’t want is leaving without a deal, but it’s pretty clear that that is not going to happen,” Sir John said.

“So despite Liam Fox’s protestations, it’s pretty clear the government will collapse if it tries to go for no deal.”

The Strathclyde University politics professor said firms have “gone rather quiet” on their support for Theresa May’s deal in the hope of staying in the single market.

“Big business would be delighted if we would have a second EU referendum, we were all to change our minds and we would carry on as we were,” he said.

He added that businesses have fears over how that could be achieved, including whether it could lead to even more economic uncertainty.

“Clearly the position of the CBI is that it’s better to take the bird in the hand than the one in the bush.

“But now it looks as though (Mrs May’s) deal is dead. It seems to me as though business has kept rather quieter because they are hoping as a result we go for either Norway (not an EU member but in the single market and customs union) or for a second EU referendum.”

Picture: Barrie Marshall. Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University.