Vince Cable: 'Norway Plus' Model Is "A Lot More Sensible" Than Any Other Brexit

8 December 2018, 13:56 | Updated: 8 December 2018, 14:34

The leader of the Liberal Democrats has described the idea of a 'Norway plus' Brexit is a "well-intentioned compromise" but "will not deal with the crisis we now have".

Sir Vince Cable welcomed the suggestion that a 'Norway plus' style would be better than Theresa May's heavily criticised Brexit deal, but warns that it doesn't deal with the "crisis" at present.

Cabinet Minister Amber Rudd suggested a 'Norway plus' model as an alternative to her party leader's deal if it is voted down by Parliament on Tuesday.

MPs are voting on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal in the "meaningful vote" promised in a government concession last year.

But speaking to Matt Frei, the Liberal Democrat leader said that the Norway plus model has "fundamental problems" despite being "a lot more sensible than a lot of the other options."

Sir Vince said that the Norway plus model "essentially means following all the rules of the EU without being a member of it.

"The basic question we ask is 'why leave?' You might as well be sitting at the table and having a vote.

"But it's better than the governments proposal, but it would not be accepted politically in the UK.

"It's a well-intentioned compromise but it's not going to deal with the crisis we now have."