Theresa May has urged MPs to back her Brexit deal “for the country’s sake” as Tuesday’s Commons vote looms closer.
She warned of “paralysis in Parliament” if the deal is rejected and said trust in politics would suffer “catastrophic harm” if the UK did not leave the EU.
The PM welcomed new EU assurances over the impact of the deal on Northern Ireland, saying they had “legal force”.
The EU said it didn’t want to use the “backstop” but, if it did, it would be for “the shortest possible period”.
The “backstop” is the fallback plan to avoid any return to physical Northern Ireland border checks.
In a letter to Mrs May, the EU said new commitments to look at alternatives to the customs arrangement and to fast-track talks on future relations had “legal value” and the EU would treat them “in the most solemn manner”.
Speaking in Stoke, Mrs May welcomed what she said were “valuable new clarifications and assurances”, saying “they make absolutely clear that the backstop is not a threat nor a trap”.
Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour will vote against the deal and would start moves to trigger a general election if it is voted down.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “We will table a motion of no confidence in the government at a time of our choosing, but it’s going to be soon, don’t worry about it.”
Mrs May’s speech comes amid reports MPs plan to take control of Brexit if her deal is defeated.
About 100 Conservative MPs, and the Democratic Unionist Party’s 10 MPs, are currently expected to join Labour and the other opposition parties in voting against the deal.
She added that she now believes MPs blocking Brexit was more likely than a no-deal scenario.
