EU law expert predicts UK will get THIS Brexit deal - 'I'd bet a couple months' salary!'

THE United Kingdom is "likely" to reject Theresa May's proposed Brexit deal in favour of a softer withdrawal from the European Union, European law expert Francesco Rizzuto claimed.

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The Lancashire-based academic suggested the British Government could ditch the Prime Minister's proposed Brexit deal to consider a softer alternative to maintain trade ties with the European Union. Prof Rizzuto admitted he would "bet" on Britain ending up accepting a Norway Plus agreement, a deal which would see the country remain a member of the European Economic Area. Should the Government opt to pursue this option, the UK would remain a member of the single market despite Mrs May vowing to take the country out of the institution after March 2019.

Speaking to RT UK, the Edge Hill University professor said: "I think it’s extremely hazardous to try and guess but I would say the Norway Plus approach is likely to have some traction.

"If you look at the Labour Party position – they are the chief opposition party – and the SNP they appear to be gravitating towards that kind of position. That’s the kind of position we are likely to end up with.

"I could be completely wrong but if I had to bet a couple of months’ salary, that’s where I would go to."

Several Cabinet members, including Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Environment Secretary Michael Gove are reported to be ready to adopt a Norway Plus deal as Plan B should Mrs May's proposed Brexit agreement fail to win the support of Parliament during the so-called meaningful vote scheduled to take place in January.

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Conservative MP Nick Boles first came out in October backing plans to join the common market the European Union shares with three other European countries which are not current members of the bloc.

Mr Boles said: "What I propose we do is go into the common market that binds the EU to the economies of Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein. It’s called the European Economic Area.

"We would immediately leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, we would immediately leave the common agricultural and fisheries policy and we would still be in the single market.”

The deal Theresa May has secured has come under criticism because of alleged threats to Britain's independence from the EU. Brexiteers have suggested the backstop clause included in the agreement could become a loophole to be used to keep the country in the single market and the customs union indefinitely.

Pro-Leave MPs as well as Mrs May’s Northern Irish unionist allies repeatedly urged her to “bin the backstop” during talks with Brussels - and removing it from the Withdrawal Agreement could secure her the vital votes needed to get it through the Commons.

EU leaders have previously warned there can be no exit deal without a safety net to prevent the re-emergence of a hard border.

Dublin has acknowledged that Britain crashing out with no transition arrangement would not immediately require customs checks because Ireland and the UK would still be aligned with EU rules.

But Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar warned problems would arise if the UK wanted to diverge from Brussels’ rules.

He said: “If the UK crashed out of the European Union at the end of March they would still be aligned on customs and regulations.

"So the problem would only arise if they decided in some way to change their customs and regulations - and that's where it could get difficult. But that is something obviously we are going to have to talk to them about in a no-deal scenario.”