Olly Robbins: Man Who Overheard UK's Brexit Negotiator Reveals What He Said

13 February 2019, 08:08 | Updated: 13 February 2019, 08:21

The Prime Minister's chief EU negotiator is facing calls to resign over comments overheard in a hotel bar in Brussels.

Olly Robbins is reported to have told colleagues that MPs could be faced with a choice of a long delay to Brexit unless they back Theresa May's deal.

ITV News Correspondent Angus Walker heard his comments and told LBC exactly what he had heard.

Speaking to Ian Payne, he said: "Olly Robbins and two of his colleagues were sitting there. My cameraman and I were the only other people in the bar.

"Olly Robbins was talking away about Brexit. It was a wide-ranging conversation. We've reported tonight on News At Ten the fundamental point he was making is that he was telling his colleagues that in his view, the strategy would be to offer MPs a choice in March between a deal and a delay.

"During the conversation, there were suggestions of that delay being quite lengthy.

"The idea being talked about was that this would focus MPs minds and that they would have this choice right up to the wire."

Brexit supporters have called for Mr Robbins to be sacked. Richard Tice, a co-funder of Leave.EU, told Nick Ferrari: "I called for him to be fired in December 17.

"He's negotiated the worst deal in history and he should be fired as soon possible so that we can have some confidence in the people who are carrying out these negotiations."

A government spokesperson responded, saying: "We don’t propose to comment on alleged remarks from a private conversation.

"The government’s focus is on securing the improvements Parliament needs to pass a deal so we leave the EU on 29th March."