THE SOUTH Swindon MP has been accused of losing touch with reality, after he claimed there was a difference between “crashing out” of the EU and leaving without a deal.

Robert Buckland, appointed Justice Secretary by Boris Johnson, yesterday said the government was working to “ensure an orderly Brexit”. But reminded by BBC Radio 4’s Nick Robinson of comments saying crash-out no deal would result in chaos, Mr Buckland said: “There’s a difference between crashing out and not achieving a deal. The work that we’re doing is really important work that will avoid the chaos of a crash-out.”

Sarah Church, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate in South Swindon, said: “Mr Buckland has lost touch with the reality of what he is actually talking about.

“Out here, in the real world, away from the Westminster bubble he is stuck in, his words are meaningless. It is meaningless to talk about not crashing out of the EU when there continues to be nothing to reassure businesses and residents in Swindon and the wider UK that we won’t be hit by the very real impacts of leaving the customs union and single market.”

Mr Buckland said Labour had no clear policy on Brexit.