The UK's former Brexit secretary has accused the the Irish Government of "spending too much time politicising the backstop".

Dominic Raab was the most high-profile departure Theresa May's cabinet this week over the draft Brexit deal.

He's the second Brexit secretary to depart this year - following David Davis - with Stephen Barclay now taking up the role.

Mr Raab highlighted particular concerns with the measure aimed at avoiding a hard border in Ireland - claiming the proposal was changed without his knowledge in the days before the deal was agreed.

In an interview with the Sunday Times in the wake of his resignation, Dominic Raab criticised the Irish Government and Leo Varadkar.

He claims that details of a private conversation he had with Tánaiste Simon Coveney was made public by the Taoiseach.

Mr Raab told the newspaper: “Simon had asked me to keep our meeting confidential and I respected that. It was then divulged and misrepresented by Leo Varadkar.

"Maybe that’s politics but I didn’t think that was a particularly professional or statesmanlike way of resolving a very sensitive aspect of the deal."

Backstop

On the subject of the backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland, Mr Raab argued: "The Irish government has spent too much time politicising the backstop.

"I think they’ve overreached. It does seem to me they have behaved irresponsibly for political purposes.”

He also accused the EU of being 'incredibly controlling' and 'insecure'.

Meanwhile, Theresa May has again defended the draft Brexit deal amid continuing political pressure - including from within her own Conservative party - over the agreement.

Speaking on Sky News, she again insisted the backstop is only an insurance policy.

She suggested: "What we're talking about is a backstop we never intend to use. The EU don't want to use it either.

"It's not the only option that's on the table... and the backstop can only ever be temporary."

As negotiations continue on the full details of Brexit and the future relationship between the EU and UK, Mrs May noted that she's planning to travel to Brussels to meet with EU Commission President Jean Claude-Juncker before EU leaders gather for an extraordinary summit this day next week.