We’ve finally crossed Brexit finishing line, says Johnson
BORIS JOHNSON promised a “bright, exciting future” after history was made with the passing of his Brexit Bill by both houses of Parliament last night.
The Withdrawal Agreement Bill will become law when it receives royal assent today or tomorrow, confirming Britain’s exit from the EU on Jan 31.
The Prime Minister said: “At times, it felt like we would never cross the Brexit finish line, but we’ve done it.”
Having cleared Parliament, the new law will have to be ratified by the European Parliament in a vote that will take place on Jan 29, thought a formality.
The Bill cleared its final Parliamentary hurdle at 6.17pm when the House of Lords bowed to the will of the Commons, which had overturned every amendment by peers this week.
After three years of high drama, which cost Theresa May her premiership and changed the political landscape of Britain, the Brexit Bill was passed in a moment of silence as peers were asked if they were “content” or “not content”. With no one saying “not content”, the Bill was nodded through.
Mr Johnson said it meant Britain could “move forwards as one United Kingdom”, adding: “Now we can put the rancour and division of the past three years behind us and focus on delivering a bright, exciting future – with better hospitals and schools, safer streets and opportunity spread to every corner of our country.”
Speaking in the Lords, Lord Callanan, a Brexit minister, said Parliament faced a busy legislative programme once Britain had left the EU, and that: “In some cases, it will be the first time in decades that the UK has legislated on some of these matters.”
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, president of the European Council, are expected to sign the agreement in Brussels tomorrow ahead of the European Parliament vote next Wednesday.
Once the Bill has received royal assent to become law, Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, will sign the UK’S instrument of ratification, confirming its exit from the EU under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which will be deposited in Brussels in time for Britain’s departure at 11pm on Jan 31.
♦ He puts it on his famous blond mop of hair every day, so you might expect Boris Johnson to be able to remember what shampoo he uses. But yesterday he admitted during his “People’s PMQS” online question and answer session he had no idea what he uses, recalling only that “it’s blue” and “it comes in a plastic tube”. He then added: “We’ve got to reduce plastic consumption. We have plans to do that.”