Brexiteer Rees-Mogg hints he could back UK PM May's Brexit deal

British Conservative Party Member of Parliament Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks in Parliament in London, Britain, March 12, 2019, in this screen grab taken from video. Reuters TV via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) - Brexit-supporting Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg said on Monday that a bad exit deal was better than staying in the European Union, the strongest hint to date that he might support May's deal.

"No deal is better than a bad deal but a bad deal is better than remaining in the European Union in the hierarchy of deals," Rees-Mogg told LBC radio. "A two-year extension is basically staying in the European Union."

Rees-Mogg, an influential lawmaker in May's Conservative Party, said he would make up his mind on how to vote after seeing what the Democratic Unionist Party decided to do. He added that it might be wise for Prime Minister Theresa May to delay another vote on her deal until after the EU summit.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden)