Boris Johnson urges British lawmakers to ratify agreement, as EU and UK reach Brexit deal

Britain and the European Union reached a last-ditch Brexit deal on Thursday, just hours before an EU summit that is expected to give it a seal of approval. But British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will still have to take the accord to a sceptical British parliament for its backing on Saturday, and it is far from certain that it will pass. Johnson, who has pledged to take Britain out of the EU with or without an agreement, tweeted: “We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control – now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday.” Asked whether Johnson was confident the necessary legislation could be approved in time to leave on October 31, a spokeswoman for Johnson said: “The public would expect if the deal is passed, for MPs to do everything they can to pass it on time, and yes, we are confident that we can do that.” Cabinet minister Michael Gove said the government was not contemplating defeat in the parliamentary vote on Saturday. “We don’t contemplate defeat. There is a lot in this deal for everyone who wants us to leave in a smooth and orderly fashion,” he told Sky News. EU officials are pleased they avoided an immediate crisis at the European Council summit, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker recommended that the other 27 EU leaders endorse the deal. “Where there is a will, there is a deal – we have one! It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions,” Juncker tweeted. In a letter to EU Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday, Juncker said: “I believe it is high time to complete the withdrawal process and move on as swiftly as possible to the negotiation on the European Union’s future partnership with the United Kingdom.” The draft agreement was forged just weeks before Britain was due to leave the bloc on October 31, ending more than four decades of close economic and political ties with its nearest neighbours. Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said: “We have managed to find solutions that fully respect the integrity of the single market. “We created a new and legally operative solution to avoid a hard border, and protect peace and stability on the island of Ireland,” he said. “It is a solution that works for the EU, for the UK and for people and businesses in Northern Ireland.” One immediate hurdle is opposition from Johnson’s allies in Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which pre-emptively rejected the compromise. The agreement would see the British-ruled province remain under EU customs and Value Added Tax (VAT) rules, and the loyalist DUP announced that it cannot support it. How would a no-deal Brexit impact British Overseas Territories? The party said on Thursday its position had not changed. It has only 10 MPs in the 650-seat British parliament in London, but those votes could prove vital to Johnson if he is to get any deal through the lower House of Commons. It is not clear how many of Johnson’s Conservative MPs will back the deal. Scotland’s leader Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish National Party (SNP) would not vote for the Brexit deal in parliament, because it posed a much harder exit from the EU. “The Brexit envisaged by Boris Johnson is one which sees a much looser relationship with the EU when it comes to issues like food standards, environmental protections and workers’ rights,” she said. “Scotland did not vote for Brexit in any form, and SNP MPs (lawmakers) will not vote for Brexit in any form.” Sick of Brexit, Scotland’s leader vows to hold new independence vote Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour party, said the party could not support the deal, and that it was “unclear whether [Johnson] has the support of his allies in the DUP, or indeed, many allies on his own backbenches”. “From what we know, it seems the Prime Minister has negotiated an even worse deal than Theresa May’s, which was overwhelmingly rejected,” Corbyn said on Thursday. “This sell-out deal won’t bring the country together and should be rejected. The best way to get Brexit sorted is to give the people the final say in a public vote,” he said. European leaders responded cautiously to the development on Thursday. “The deal now needs to be technically explained, politically presented. It will be done in the coming hours,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “As far as I’m concerned, I am satisfied we managed to find it and reasonably confident it can be ratified by the British and European parliament.” How Brexit has already cost London’s financial hub billions Ireland’s foreign minister said the new Brexit deal was “a big step forward”. “Its a deal that recognises all of the issues that we have been raising for the last three years. It is a deal that will protect people on this island, it will protect peace on this island, it will protect trade on this island,” said Simon Coveney. Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel called the deal a “step in the right direction, but I remain cautious. That’s in my character, my temperament, because I know from experience that the devil is often in the detail ... now it is necessary that the British parliament provides its approval”. Finland’s Antti Rinne said: “I hope we are now at the end of this process. But there are still many doubts – for instance, inside the British parliament.” Here are the initial details of the new Brexit deal: Customs Northern Ireland remains in the United Kingdom’s customs territory but all EU procedures will apply to goods arriving there in this complex system. There will be no customs checks on the island of Ireland - they will be done in ports. For goods crossing from Great Britain to Northern Ireland that are deemed to be staying there, no EU tariff will apply. No EU tariffs would be paid on personal goods carried by travellers across the Irish frontier and for a second category of exempted goods that can only be for immediate consumption rather than subsequent processing. An EU-UK body called the Joint Committee will define this second group of goods more precisely after Brexit. The UK will be allowed to reimburse excise duties for companies in Northern Ireland as long as it does not undercut EU state aid rules. Northern Ireland will be able to benefit from future UK trade deals around the world. As long as the goods do not cross to Ireland and the EU’s single market, only UK customs tariffs will apply. Consent The Northern Irish assembly will have to give consent after Brexit for the region’s continued alignment with the EU regulatory regime. Four years after Brexit, the assembly will have to decide by simple majority of those taking part in the vote whether to apply it. If the vote is positive, the system is extended for another four years. If another vote then is positive with cross-community support, the system is extended by another eight years until another vote. If consent is not granted, there is a two-year cooling off period during which sides need to find a new solution to prevent the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland. If the regional assembly does not sit or vote, the system continues as the default position. Unlike the “backstop” solution in the original deal, rejected by the British parliament, this system would not be replaced by a new free-trade deal between Britain and the EU. That marks a big concession from the EU side. Future trade deal, level-playing field Sides aim at an ambitious free-trade agreement after Brexit with no tariffs and unlimited quotas. It comes together with a statement that sides will uphold high standards on environment, climate, workers’ rights and other rules. Rest remains as in previous agreement Previously agreed settlement on citizens’ rights after Brexit and Britain’s divorce bill stay as they were. That also goes for a transition period of 14 months until the end of 2020, which can be extended by one year or two years.

Boris Johnson urges British lawmakers to ratify agreement, as EU and UK reach Brexit deal

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called the deal ‘fair and balanced’, and urged leaders of EU member states to approve the deal

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called the deal ‘fair and balanced’, and urged leaders of EU member states to approve the deal