Brexit news latest: David Cameron gives backing to Boris Johnson's deal

David Cameron has revealed he would back Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal if he was still an MP.

The former Prime Minster also said he thought the agreement, which has been approved by EU leaders, will get through Parliament.

Mr Cameron insisted that Mr Johnson’s blueprint comes close to what was promised by the Tory party in its 2017 election manifesto.

Speaking at a literature festival to promote his book For The Record, he said the Prime Minister’s agreement is better than no deal.

"The country voted to leave the European Union, the best way to leave is with a deal, I think a no-deal Brexit would be bad for the economy and bad for the union," Mr Cameron said.

"I think it's much better to leave with a deal, and I think Boris has done well to achieve that deal. I hope he'll get it through Parliament, I suspect he will but it will be tight."

Mr Cameron said that if he were still in Number 10, he would have opted for a deal that guaranteed a closer relationship with the EU, and which would keep the UK within the customs union.

The former PM also told the audience he believes the deal will be voted through Parliament, saying: "The thing about the greased piglet is that he manages to slip through other people's hands where mere mortals fail."

Mr Cameron was speaking at Harrogate's Crown Hotel on the first night of the town's literature festival.

Fielding questions from the BBC's James Landale, the former PM said of the deal: "At the end of the day, I think this is quite close to what was talked about in the 2017 manifesto, and it is a way of leaving with a deal, so I think that is the right thing to do.

"We can't go on being stuck. You can't rule out having a general election if Parliament cannot pass this deal and is still stuck, and you cannot rule out a second referendum."

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