UK Brexit Sec. Raab: EU tends to look at the N. Irish border issue as if from an ivory tower, it has to be workable

Additional remarks from British Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab continue to cross the wires.

Key quotes (via Reuters)

• There are different levels of support for Chequers, but we will negotiate the best deal we possibly can.
• The choice come November will be on the deal or a no deal and that should focus minds.
• I am convinced EU's Barnier wants a deal.
• Not true his conference speech was laying out his stall to run for prime minister.
• Shouldn’t have a closed mind in negotiations, open to listening to other suggestions.
• The EU side tends to look at the Northern Irish border issue as if from an ivory tower, it has to be workable.
• We signed up rightly or wrongly in December to the backstop, we need to honour that.
• Government is not even countenancing a second referendum.
• Dangling a second referendum is way to get EU to offer a deal on lousiest terms.
• I do think that vast majority of lawmakers want us to leave the EU with a deal.