LBC

A caller says "locking us in Europe forever is not the best for our country."

Theresa May says "we are not being locked in, we are taking control of our laws, our borders, leaving the single market and we are ending free movement."

"These are the things the British people were most concerned about," she adds.

"That is what the people voted for and that is what I am delivering."

With that, LBC's phone-in with the prime minister comes to a close.

LBC

Nick Ferrari pushes May as to whether MPs will get a free vote when the deal is put in front of Parliament.

It has been reported that the International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has told the prime minister that she wants MPs to have a free vote on the deal

May says "there is collective cabinet responsibility and the government will put it to the House of Commons".

"Government policy is government policy," she adds.

LBC

A man identifying himself as a Conservative councilor said he "commended" the PM for trying to strike a Brexit deal with the EU but "sadly that has not worked".

Daniel from Louth, added: "Please Prime Minister, tell me why do you think you should stay on as PM when you have failed...

"I respectfully ask you to do the right thing in the national interest and stand down to allow someone from the Brexit camp to take the lead. There is still time to sort this out."

Mrs May told him: "You're absolutely right that for a lot of people who voted Leave, what they wanted to do was make sure that decisions on things like who can come into this country would be taken by us here in the UK, and not by Brussels, and that's exactly what the deal I've negotiated delivers."

Later, another caller said Mrs May should step aside and let leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg take over.

The PM did not directly address that suggestion.

LBC

From the EU's point of view, even when we leave, they would like the European Court of Justice to have jurisdiction in the UK.

"We do not want this and we have negotiated this," Theresa May says.

Replying to concerns that the ECJ will still have jurisdiction after Brexit, Theresa May says when the UK leaves the EU "the UK will take back control of our laws."

LBC

When asked how important it is that Michael Gove "stays on the team sheet", Theresa May says: "He's been doing a great job, especially on the fishing industry."

"I want all my colleagues in the cabinet to feel that they're happy doing the jobs that they're doing," she says.

LBC

The next caller asks Theresa May about cuts to policing.

Mrs May says: "We need to look at how we can help in dealing with knife crime, and we have formed a drug strategy."

The prime minister says the government is "putting more resources" into policing.

When pushed on stop and search, she says: "When you use it properly it's really effective."

"On the crime issue, there's more for us to do," she adds.

When pushed on the £39m divorce bill for leaving the EU, she says we are a country that keeps its promises.

LBC

The prime minister's next caller works in the NHS.

Theresa May says when we leave the EU "we will have more money to spend on priorities like the NHS".

"The key thing about the NHS is the government has committed to this as our number one spending priority," she adds.

"Our increased investment is important and the NHS will produce a 10-year plan so we can assure the secure future of the NHS."

Nick Ferrari asks if Boris Johnson was right to stand by the campaign bus two years ago which said an increased £350m a week would be invested in the NHS.

Theresa May says "Boris was making the point that we'd have extra money to spend on our services by not sending it to Europe, with more money going to our national health service."

LBC

Theresa May says: "My job is to persuade, first and foremost, the Conservative benches and the DUP".

But she adds: "But I want to say to all MPs that this is the best deal for Britain."

A caller then asks about whether people should be worried about the stockpiling of medicines.

Theresa May says: "The department of health is making sure medicines will be available if there are any problems."

When pushed by Nick Ferrari on whether this is "stockpiling", Mrs May says: "It's a contingency plan and making sure we're ready for all scenarios.

"The department of health is working very carefully with companies."

She adds: "This is an issue affecting me personally and I know it is a matter of importance.

"There's still some things to sort out, but we have got a good deal for the UK."

LBC

Image source, LBC

Nick Ferrari asks if the EU can impose a different VAT rate on Northern Ireland during the transition period.

Theresa May says: "The point of the backstop is to say even if we can't get a future relationship completed by 2021, we need to make sure Ireland's border is still open with Northern Ireland."

She also says "it is absolutely crucial that there is no hard border down the Irish sea".

"The EU said back in February that they wanted a hard border, and then agreed to our proposal in October," she says,

LBC

The first two questions from the public touch on the so-called backstop for Northern Ireland in the draft agreement .

Mrs May denies Northern Ireland will be treated differently from the rest of the UK.

"We are maintaining the integrity of the United Kingdom," she insists, adding she rejected the initial demand of EU negotiators for a border in the Irish sea.

"I truly believe this is the best deal for Britain."

The first question to Theresa May is from presenter Nick Ferrari - "When did you last speak to Michael Gove?"

The prime minister said she had a "good conversation" with Mr Gove on Thursday - but refuses to confirm whether she has offered him the job of Brexit Secretary.

She adds she will make an appointment "in the next day or so".

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

It is "extremely unrealistic" to think the UK will be able to negotiate a new Brexit withdrawal deal, a senior MEP has said.

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis has dismissed suggestions it is too late to secure a better deal.

But Danuta Hubner, a Polish MEP who sits on the Brexit Steering Group of the European Parliament, said it would be impossible to renegotiate the deal before March next year when the UK is due to leave the EU.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Taking into account we have to have the ratification on the British side, we have to have the ratification through the European Council on our side…I think it’s absolutely impossible within this time limit.”

Theresa May has left Downing Street for the short drive to LBC radio in central London, where she will take questions from the public on the Nick Ferrari show.

Image source, Getty Images

Environment Secretary Michael Gove made no comment about his future as he left his home this morning.

Mr Gove, who is understood to have rejected Theresa May's offer to make him Brexit secretary and is reported to be considering quitting his current role, said only "good morning" repeatedly to reporters.

Adam Fleming
Brussels reporter

Several EU countries raised concerns about access to British fishing waters under the draft Brexit deal during a meeting on Thursday, according to a diplomatic note seen by the BBC.

One country said that the UK's commitments on the environment and social protection do not go far enough and could stop the EU developing legislation in future.

Ambassadors for the EU27 are meeting in Brussels later to discuss the political declaration on the framework for the future relationship, which will accompany the withdrawal agreement.

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire acknowledges the draft deal does contain compromises, but dismisses claims the issue of Britain's sovereignty has not been addressed.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said it "does take back control of our laws".

He added: "I think it's important we get behind the prime minister and get on with doing the job.

"The prime minister is going nowhere".

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

The prime minister will face a no confidence vote in the next few days, Theresa May's former director of communications, Katie Perrior, has said.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think she would probably have expected that, and so I think she would have planned it and worked out that this moment was probably always going to come for her at some point.”

But she predicted the prime minister would fight on and "was not going anywhere fast unless they get rid of her".