The day Rema in finally died

End of the Brexit turmoil in sight after MPs vote for PM’s deal by majority of 124

BriTAiN took a decisive step towards leaving the European Union last night after MPs voted emphatically for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.

Before breaking up for Christmas, the House of Commons passed the Withdrawal Agreement Bill by 358 to 234 – a majority of 124.

senior Tories hailed a historic step in restoring Parliamentary democracy and the end of attempts by remain campaigners to defy the referendum result.

in a unifying message, Mr Johnson said he wanted the country to ‘ move on’ from the divisions of Leave and remain.

Before the vote was held, he told MPs: ‘Now is the moment to come together and write a new and exciting chapter in our national story, to forge a new partnership with our European friends, to stand tall in the world, to begin the healing for which the whole people of this country yearn.’

Former Tory leader iain Duncan smith said: ‘it may not be the end but it’s the end of the beginning.

‘it’s the end of remain and the People’s Vote charade. it’s the end of the delay and bickering. And it’s the beginning of our departure and of a new dawn which the British people – brilliantly – voted for.’

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said it was a ‘historic moment’ and the UK’s departure from the EU ‘is happening’.

The Conservatives’ emphatic election victory last week meant the result of the vote, which came shortly after 2pm, was never in doubt. Nonetheless, there were still loud cheers from the Tory benches when the numbers were announced.

in his speech, Jeremy Corbyn returned to his election script by warning of the dangers of trade deals with the Us to food standards and the Health service.

After claiming his party recognised the ‘clear message’ from voters, he ordered his MPs to vote against Brexit once again.

But with his authority shattered, the Labour leader was humiliated when six of his MPs defied the whip to vote with the Government and more than 30 abstained – a sign of their reluctance to block Brexit.

MPs will return in the New Year for three days of further debate on the bill, which will return to the Commons on January 7 for three days of debate and votes before going to the Lords.

The bill is expected to gain royal Assent on January 23, paving the way for Britain’s departure at 11pm on January 31.

senior Number 10 officials are working on plans for how the country should mark the occasion.

Today, Mr Johnson will travel to Estonia, where he will serve Christmas

lunch to British servicemen and women who are part of a Nato deployment near Tallinn.

opening yesterday’s debate, which lasted almost five hours, the PM said Brexit would ‘restore our great institutions to their rightful place as the supreme instruments of British self-governance’ and open up ‘unsuspected oceans of opportunity’, adding: ‘This juncture in our national story must not be seen as a victory for one party or one faction over another.

‘This is the time when we move on and discard the old labels of

Leave and remain. in fact the very words seem tired to me.

‘Now is the time to act together as one reinvigorated nation, one United Kingdom, filled with renewed confidence in our national destiny and determined at last to take advantage of the opportunities that now lie before us.’

He defended the decision to remove the option of extending the transition period beyond the end of next year, saying it would strengthen the UK’s hand in the trade negotiations to come. And he insisted there

‘The end of delay and bickering’

would be ‘no alignment’ with EU rules after we leave.

Former trade secretary Liam Fox said the vote would be a ‘promise fulfilled by this Parliament to the people of this country’ and mean an end to three years of ‘ betrayal’ when MPs refused to honour the referendum. Former culture secretary Maria Miller said MPs had ‘an opportunity to start to rebuild trust in this democratic institution’.

While waiting for the result, Mr Johnson signed copies of the bill for MPs. It puts into law the divorce deal agreed by Mr Johnson with EU leaders, including new arrangements for Northern Ireland, the divorce bill and the rights of EU citizens living here. Crucially, it repeals the 1972 European Communities Act which took the UK into what became the European Union.