Brexit should mean we leave Eurovision - MP

Groans could be heard in the chamber after Michael Fabricant, the Tory MP for Lichfield, floated the suggestion ahead of this year's final in Portugal on Saturday.

Speaking in the Commons, he asked Culture Secretary Matt Hancock: "Do you share my dismay that Brexit doesn't mean we're leaving the Eurovision Song Contest?"

Mr Hancock replied: "A principle I try to apply to my life, we should apply to the Eurovision Song Contest – which is, whenever something goes wrong, we should try, try and try again, and maybe eventually we'll get there."

Labour's shadow culture minister Steve Reed, added: "Can I start by wishing good luck to SuRie, the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night?"

Among those to be less than impressed with Mr Fabricant's call for the UK's departure from Eurovision was former MP Nick de Bois, who tweeted: "As a Brexiteer and huge follower of Eurovision, to my good fiend Michael Fabricant – 'Nul Point' for the suggestion we should leave Eurovision!"

Singer-songwriter SuRie was the surprise victor of the Eurovision: You Decide contest, beating heavy favourite Asanda to become the UK’s 2018 entry.

She is no stranger to Eurovision, having featured in the contest twice already.

“I have the advantage of knowing what the Eurovision set-up is like. When I first went out in 2015, my eyes were opened," she said.

She is rated a 100/1 outsider to win the contest.