A minister has urged Tory MPs to back Rishi Sunak on Brexit and accept the deal the Prime Minister does with Brussels on improving the Northern Ireland Protocol. 

Johnny Mercer, the minister for veterans' affairs, said people need to "operate in the real world" on Brexit and "we need to resolve this issue" to allow the Government to focus on tackling "all the other challenges that we are facing". 

Mr Mercer said that if Mr Sunak is happy with his deal then "I am happy" as he suggested MPs should support the premier "whatever he comes back with". 

His comments came as Mr Sunak faces a growing Tory rebellion over his Brexit deal amid fears among Conservative Brexiteers that the PM's plans will not go far enough in ending EU involvement in Northern Ireland's affairs. 

Mr Mercer told Times Radio: "We have got to operate in the real world, right? And I think that is the problem with this debate over many years. 

"Rishi Sunak campaigned, voted for and is very committed to Brexit as you have seen a number of times and I think whatever he comes back with, we need to resolve this issue and we need to get on and seize the opportunities of Brexit that have been talked about for so long. 

"I hope colleagues recognise the work he is putting into it, I think he is taking the right approach and I think what he comes back with, if he is happy, I am happy and we get on with it and tackle all the other challenges that we are facing today."

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