Boris Johnson news: EU agrees Brexit deal as parliament clears way for second referendum vote
PM faces Commons battle to gain approval from MPs
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson has said he is “very confident” MPs will want to back his Brexit deal after UK and EU officials secured an agreement at a critical summit in Brussels.
But the prime minister’s DUP allies poured cold water on his hopes of progress by declaring they will oppose the plan – leaving Mr Johnson scrambling to find votes elsewhere.
The PM faces an uphill struggle to get his deal approved at an historic Commons sitting this Saturday.
MPs have won a key parliamentary vote paving the way for a bid to secure a second referendum on Saturday.
Senior Labour party figures, such as John McDonnell, have strongly criticised the agreement.
“The more people examine text of Johnson deal, the more you realise what a sell out deal it is,” Mr McDonnell said on Twitter.
“It’s not just the DUP, he’s sold out virtually every sector of our economy & all those who may have voted to leave believing a deal could be secured that protected their jobs.”
European leaders unanimously endorsed the proposal on Thursday and formally sent it to the British parliament.
“This is a great deal for our country. I also believe it’s a very good deal for our friends in the EU,” Mr Johnson told reporters in Brussels.
“There is a very good case for MPs across the House of Commons to express the democratic will of the people, as we have pledged many times to do and to get Brexit done.”
If you would like to see how the day’s events unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:
Michel Barnier says Wirral meeting led to breakthrough
It was the Wirral wot won it. Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, has revealed the “turning point” in negotiations came after the Thornton Manor meeting last week between Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar.
“It was following that we were able to make headway,” he said. “It was accepted there would be no customs checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We were trying to find an intelligent solution to the problems there.”
If you’re just catching up to the customs partnership deal, the revised protocol on Northern Ireland contains four key elements, two of which are on regulations and customs:
Regulations:
Northern Ireland will remain aligned with single market regulations on goods. Checks and procedures on such goods will take place at ports and airports in Northern Ireland and not on the border. The UK authorities will therefore assume responsibility for applying the EU rules in Northern Ireland.
Custom duties:
Northern Ireland will remain a part of the UK’s customs territory, so it will be included in any future trade deals struck by the government after Brexit.
However, the region will also remain an entry point into the EU’s customs zone. UK authorities will apply UK tariffs to products entering Northern Ireland as long as they are not destined for onward transportation across the border. For goods at risk of entering the single market, the UK will collect EU tariffs on behalf of the bloc.
Donald Tusk says deal ‘better than no deal’
European Council president Donald Tusk told reporters on Thursday that a deal is always better than no deal.
“Deal is always better than no deal, but I am not happy because of the substance of this political fight,” he said. “But, of course a deal is better than no deal.”
Tusk was asked whether the deal was good for the people of Northern Ireland. He replied: “I am quite sure the recommendation from the Commission side and also the positive assessment of Taoiseach Varadkar, this is for me a guarantee that for our citizens, I mean of continent but also of Ireland, this deal is OK.”
“Otherwise I would not have accepted.”
Finnish prime minister Antti Rinne more explicitly called on MPs, including the DUP, to back the deal. “The ball is again with the British parliament and I hope that it goes through this time.”
Michael Gove says Saturday vote goes ahead despite DUP opposition
Cabinet office minister Michael Gove has said the government had decided to hold the showdown vote in the Commons on Saturday regardless of whether the DUP backs the deal.
“I think people across the country just want Brexit done … we’re not contemplating defeat.”
“I think people will have an opportunity to reflect, we’ll be taking to colleagues from all parties including the DUP over the next day or two and I hope people will see it’s the best way forward.”
Asked if the government had thrown the DUP under a bus to secure the deal, Gove added: “Absolutely not, this is a great deal.”
Wondering if the DUP might have changed their minds?
According to the BBC’s Vicki Young DUP MPs have met in the Commons: “Not budging on consent issue and won’t vote for deal on Saturday.”
Guy Verhofstadt praises ‘balanced agreement’
Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, has been a reliable critic of Boris Johnson in the past few months. Yet he has called the deal finally struck today a “balanced agreement” and said it was now up to MPs to provide support – before the EU parliament can decide whether to ratify.
According to the BBC’s Katya Adler, Verhofstadt has already warned MEPs that British MPs could give it a “thumbs down” on Saturday.
DUP confirms they will not support PM's Brexit deal.
The lengthy statement says they will be "unable to support these proposals in parliament" as they have been consistent in their position that they can only support plans that are in Northern Ireland's interests and protect the union.
Their main concerns appear to be consent, customs and VAT.
It adds: "These arrangements will become the settled position in these areas for Northern Ireland. This drives a coach and horses through the professed sanctity of the Belfast Agreement.
"For all of these reasons it is our view that these arrangements would not be in Northern Ireland’s long term interests. Saturday’s vote in parliament on the proposals will only be the start of a long process to get any withdrawal agreement bill through the House of Commons.”
MPs debate motion for Commons to sit on Saturday to scrutinise the PM's Brexit deal.
Jacob Rees Mogg has moved the motion for parliament to sit on Saturday and confirmed that Boris Johnson will make a statement to MPs after 9.30am.
The Commons leader said MPs would then have a short debate and vote on the deal or a no-deal Brexit.
But backbenchers have tabled an amendment asking for more time for debate and to allow more amendments to the motion. This is crucial as it would offer a path for pro-EU MPs to try to tack on a referendum to the bill.
Nicola Sturgeon confirms SNP will vote against deal
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed SNP MPs will not back Boris Johnson’s new Brexit deal, as she insisted it will mean Scotland alone is “treated unfairly” when the UK leaves the EU.
Responding to the PM’s announcement that agreement has been reached with the EU, the first minister said it is “democratically unacceptable” for Scotland to be facing an outcome it did not vote for.
She said it is now “clearer than ever” that the best future for Scotland is as an independent, European nation.
Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw had urged Sturgeon’s party to get behind the deal, insisting it is "time to get Brexit sorted”.
He tweeted: “If Labour and SNP MPs are against us leaving without a deal, then it's time to back this one. The country needs to move on.”
Boris Johnson appears alongside Jean Claude-Juncker
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, European Commission president Jean Claude-Junckersaid: "We have a deal - this is a fair, and balance agreement. It provides certainty where Brexit creates uncertainty.
"It protects the rights of our citizens and it protects peace and stability on the island of Ireland.”
"The deal is about people, and peace. We start negotiations on the future relationship once the deal has been approved. It's is for both our parliaments to have a final - it's not only for Westminster, it is up to the European Parliament as well."
"I'm happy about a deal, but I'm sad about Brexit, he concludes.
Speaking alongside him, Boris Johnson says "now is the time to get Brexit done".
He added: "It means that the UK leaves whole and entire on October 31 and it means that Northern Ireland and every other part of the UK can take part not just in free trade deals - offering our tariffs and exporting our goods around the world but it also means we can take together as a single United Kingdom decisions about our borders, our laws, our money.
"I hope very much now speaking of elected representatives that my fellow MPs in Westminster do now come together to get Brexit done to get this deal over the line and to deliver Brexit without any more delay so that we can focus on the priorities of the British people.
"Now is the moment to get Brexit done and together to work on building our future, which I think can be incredibly positive both for the UK and the EU...We are a quintessentially European country, solid European friends , neighbours and supporters."
MPs win bid to hold second referendum vote
MPs have won a key parliamentary vote paving the way for a Commons bid to secure a second referendum on Saturday.
Tory backbencher Sir Oliver Letwin led a successful bid to allow backbench MPs to amend Boris Johnson's Brexit plans, in a knife edges vote that passed by 287 votes to 275.
The move paves the way for pro-EU parties to force a vote on a second referendum, by tacking on an amendment calling for another public vote on the prime minister's Brexit blueprint.
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