No, it isn't true. When Britain leaves the EU, it will not be obliged to follow either the so-called 'Norwegian' or 'Swiss' model. The Norwegians chose to be members of the European Economic Area. Switzerland had agreed over 100 bilateral treaties with the EU, which has meant it has adopted most EU laws without being a member of the EEA or EU.

No genuine advocate of Brexit would suggest this outcome is desirable. Instead, we should adopt the 'Canadian', 'Japanese' or 'Singaporean' models: independent nation states that trade and co-operate without being members of the EU. In reality, we want a British Model which would mean we do not have to obey EU laws, pay them any money or have open borders. We would be in a very strong position to negotiate our own trade deal with the EU - and indeed trade deals with the rest of the world. We would not have to join the EEA - and nor should we.

It is noteworthy that the Swiss Parliament recently voted to withdraw its 24 year-old application to join the EU, because the costs of EU membership are too high.

In 2006 the Swiss Federal Government carried out
a study that calculated that full membership of the
EU would cost up to six times the cost of their
existing bilateral arrangements with the EU.