Hunt: Brexit backstop will be temporary '“ but EU must define what temporary means

The Foreign Secretary said he believes the backstop is the only “outstanding issue” and can be solved, noting the EU has agreed it is temporary and the UK needs it to define “what temporary is”.

He added he is a supporter of Mrs May’s deal “with those qualifications to the backstop” and predicted such assurances would sway MPs as they weigh up the prospect of a “cataclysmic” no-deal Brexit.

Mr Hunt also said there is a need to have a “version” of Mrs May’s deal which they can get through Parliament.

His remarks came as Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn urged the PM to cut the Christmas recess short and recall Parliament so MPs can vote on the Brexit deal.

The Labour leader said he wanted to have a vote “as soon as possible”, and accused Theresa May of trying to “run down the clock” and offer MPs a choice between “the devil or the deep blue sea”.

MPs are due to return to the Commons on January 7 after a two-week Christmas break, and will begin a new debate on Mrs May’s deal on January 9 – with a vote expected to take place the following week.

Mr Hunt, appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, said: “The EU has agreed that the backstop is temporary and what we need them to do is define what temporary is.

“So my view is this is not the time to be talking about what other major changes we might be faced with making because actually we can get this through.

“We can get this through, absolutely can.”

Mr Hunt reiterated the need for the EU to define the temporary nature of the backstop, adding: “Because if it is temporary then Parliament can live with that, but you need to show us.

“So I am a supporter of Theresa May’s deal with those qualifications to the backstop and I think MPs, as they reflect on how close we are to an agreement, but also how cataclysmic it would be if we didn’t end up having an agreement we could get through Parliament, the best thing is to put our heads down and make sure we have a version of this agreement that we can through Parliament.”

Asked if he was interested in becoming Conservative Party leader, Mr Hunt replied: “I think we have a very good leader of the Conservative Party, a very good Prime Minister, frankly, doing probably the most difficult job of any leader in the Western world right now, and what we need to do – as she’s battling for Britain – is get behind her.”