EU endorses deal; warns there’s no better offer

European Union leaders on Sunday sealed a divorce deal with Britain, and issued a warning to U.K. politicians who within weeks will approve or reject it - this offer is as good as it gets.

Amid criticism of the deal from lawmakers on all sides of Britain’s EU debate, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the U.K. couldn’t hope to negotiate better terms before its departure in March.

“I am totally convinced this is the only deal possible,” he said. “Those who think that by rejecting the deal that they would have a better deal will be disappointed the first seconds after the rejection.”

For once, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May was in complete agreement.

“This is the deal that is on the table,” she said.

“It is the best possible deal. It is the only deal.”

Now that the EU has approved it, May must sell the deal to British parliamentarians — a huge task considering the intense opposition from pro-Brexit and proEU lawmakers alike.

May said Parliament would get a vote before Christmas, and argued lawmakers had a duty “to deliver Brexit” as voters decided in a 2016 referendum.

“The British people don’t want to spend any more time arguing about Brexit,” she said. “They want a good deal done that fulfils the vote and allows us to come together again as a country.”

The last big obstacle to a deal was overcome on Saturday, when Spain lifted its objections over the disputed British territory of Gibraltar.

It took EU leaders a matter of minutes at Sunday’s summit in Brussels to endorse a withdrawal agreement that settles Britain’s divorce bill, protects the rights of U.K. and EU citizens hit by Brexit and keeps the Irish border open.