The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Our political editor is in Brussels for all the latest on PM Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal plans.
PM says it is ‘very good for every part of the UK’ and gets Irish support
The House of Commons will sit for the first time on a Saturday in almost 40 years to decide on a finalised withdrawal agreement.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the “great deal” which has been agreed upon by his Cabinet and the European Commission.
The prime minister said he was confident MPs would vote through his agreement this weekend during a historic sitting of parliament.
He hinted he had the numbers to see the Bill pass, despite the DUP – who have been propping up the Conservative government since the snap election in 2017 – saying they could not support it.
The largest point of contention, and the one major change from former prime minister Theresa May’s deal, is the removal of the so-called Irish backstop.
Now, Northern Ireland will remain in the UK customs agreement as well as being an entry point to the EU, which according to EC president Jean-Claude Juncker will protect the economy of the island of Ireland and “most importantly” the peace brought about by the Good Friday agreement by stopping a hard border between the countries.
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar agreed the deal was the best for the Republic and Northern Ireland and said the UK leaving was like “watching a friend go off without you”.
Mr Varadkar said: “The EU has a strength in unity and in these negotiations showed what could be achieved when we act as one.
“The unity shown should be a lesson for the EU going forward. As a small nation it has been demonstrated the EU is a union of equals where small states are protected.
“I regret the UK’s decision to leave but respect their decision to do so. It is like watching an old friend going on a journey without us but there will always be a place at the table (should they choose to come back).
“No matter what, I believe the EU and the UK will stay close.”
The feeling in Brussels among European chiefs was one of sadness, with each of Donald Tusk, Michel Barnier and Mr Juncker declaring their upset at the UK choosing to leave.
They said Brexit was a matter for the British people, but that the UK would be welcomed back if it decided to rejoin in the future.
Toasting what he called a successful day of negotiations, Mr Johnson said it was only right for MPs to pass his proposition.
He said: “It is our job for our MPs as democrats to get Brexit done and come out on October 31.
“This is our chance to get on with the priorities – funding for the NHS, lifting up education and the biggest expansion of the minimum wage, those are the things the people of our country want us to focus on.
“We have been at this for three-and-ahalf years. It has not always been an easy experience. It has been long, painful and divisive and now is the moment for us to come together. Now is the moment for parliamentarians to come together and get things done.
“There is a very good case for MPs across the house to express the democratic will of the people they have pledged many times to do. I do not think there is any case for delay.
“This is a very good deal for every part of the UK, particularly Northern Ireland and I would point out from the beginning Northern Ireland will be part of the UK and continue to carry out free trade deals around the world and all the other benefits of being part of the UK without having any checks on the border.”
When asked how the deal will heal the deep divisions over Brexit, Mr Johnson said: “That’s a good question, I do believe that it will.
“The process of extraction is behind us so we can come together to focus on building a new relationship with our friends in every European capital.”
Now is the moment for parliamentarians to come together and get things done. PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON
The heavens opened to such an extent the night before the EC summit, even the most Noah-like of metaphors would have seemed too obvious for Mr Johnson and the prospects of his deal being a success.
But by yesterday morning the skies had cleared and with it came a flood of activity – tweets and texts declaring “we’ve done it, we have a deal”.
And so to lunchtime, with Mr Johnson arriving in the Belgian capital, posing with his one-time adversary Mr Juncker and shaking hands. The pair had come to an agreement and it looked like a deal was done. All smiles.
Mr Johnson must be confident the party colleagues he cast out into the cold last month will forgive him, voting in favour of his withdrawal agreement.
Of course, Mr Johnson would not be drawn on whips, extended or retracted, during a briefing with the UK press in Brussels late yesterday.
He certainly cannot count (yet) on the DUP, who insist they are unable to support his deal. Whether more money is offered to Northern Ireland remains to be seen, but the Northern Irish party has been propping up the Conservative government since 2017.
Indeed, the solution found for Ireland and Northern Ireland might not please the fickle egos of the Tory European Research Group, who could choose not to support it.
Their stablemate (if not quite party colleague) Nigel Farage pulled the largest U-turn of all, unbelievably announcing his support for the Benn Act and calling for a general election.
If the new new Tory rebels (not to be confused with the old new Tory rebels or the original Tory rebels) decide not to vote in favour of the deal, it will likely cause all sorts of permutations. Who would have thought, Brexit scuppered by its own architects.
The Brexit Party could pull one more surprise – in theory it could vote down the deal put before the EU Parliament next week. Whether it could gather the support of its fellow EU haters in coming together to save the UK’s place in the EU remains to be seen, but these are “unpresidented” times.
The pair had come to an agreement and it looked like a deal was done. All smiles