Britain is a step closer to leaving the European Union after Theresa May’s Cabinet backed a draft Brexit deal she has reached with EU officials.

The Prime Minister made the announcement on the steps of Downing Street at 7.20pm after a five-hour meeting with senior Conservative party officials.

She told the awaiting media: "This is a decisive step that enables us to move on and finalise the deal in the days ahead.

"This decision was not taken lightly, but I believe it is a decision that is firmly in the national interest.

"When you strip away the detail the choice before us is clear.

"This deal, which delivers on the vote of the referendum, brings back control of our money, laws and borders, ends free movement, protects jobs, security, and our union or leave with no deal or no Brexit at all.

"I know that there will be difficult days ahead, this is a decision that will come under intense scrutiny and that is entirely as it should be and entirely understandable.

"But the choice was this deal, which enables us to take back control and build a brighter future for our country, or going back to square one with more division, more uncertainty and the failure to deliver on the referendum."

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield earlier pledged to oppose the draft Brexit deal.

Speaking to KMTV ahead of the announcement, she said it would not likely be something she could support.

“For Canterbury certainly it is a potential disaster,” said Ms Duffield.

“We have the knock-on effects of everything that happens in Dover so even if there is a two-minute delay on checks in Dover they say that could result in complete chaos.

“We know there is the Operation Brock (formerly known as Operation Stack), all of that is going to have a knock-on effect on our small businesses, our tourist trade, transport, even the school run could be a complete disaster from now on.”

ANALYSIS

by Political Editor Paul Francis

It has been hailed as a decisive moment by Theresa May but securing the cabinet's endorsement for her Brexit deal is just one step along the road towards leaving the EU.

Just how decisive it will turn out to be will be a matter for Parliament and then 27 EU member states - should it get that far.

Already there have been mutterings from Brexiteers notably around the touchstone issue of the Customs Union, which appears to have been a source of tension.

The Prime Minister is right about one thing: that there will be difficult days ahead, not least for herself.

It remains to be seen if hard-line Brexit supporting MPs feel the deal is so bad that they will trigger a leadership contest.

But despite the brickbats that have come her way, she has proved more resilient than many thought she was.

If there was a vote of no confidence in the government should the deal not get through Parliament, questions about her leadership would certainly arise.