Boris Johnson rallies Tories to back ‘right’ deal for Brexit Britain as full 1,246 page treaty published - The Sun

BORIS Johnson has today called for hardline Brexiteer MPs to back his historic £660billion trade deal with the EU ahead of next week's last-minute vote.

As details of the deal were today published in a document featuring a whopping 1,246 pages, the PM admitted "the devil is in the detail" - but insisted it's the right thing for both sides.

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The PM posted a photo of him beaming with joy after sealing a Brexit deal with the EUCredit: Crown Copyright

It comes after years of tense negotiations with EU chiefs including Ursula von der LeyenCredit: AFP

Tension had mounted ahead of the treaty's reveal on Christmas EveCredit: PA:Press Association

The document is expected to be passed through Parliament without issue before coming into force on January 1.

MPs will be recalled from their Christmas break next Wednesday to ratify the text.

Even Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to back the triumphant treaty - and he's expected to whip his MPs to do the same.

However, some hardline Eurosceptic Tory MPs believe the UK should be leaving without a deal - meaning trade with Brussels would revert to baseline World Trade Organisation rules.

But Mr Johnson hailed the breakthrough after four and a half years of wrangling and deadlock - and says the deal has "delivered on every one of our manifesto commitments".

"I believe we now have a basis for long term friendship and partnership with the EU as sovereign equals," the Prime Minister said in a WhatsApp message to MPs seen by Sky News.

"I know the devil is in the detail but I am sure this can survive the most ruthless and Talmudic scrutiny from the star chamber legal eagles."

The so-called 'star chamber' - a panel of lawyers assembled by the European Research Group - is likely to meet tomorrow.

Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash sits on the committee and it's understood some MPs are awaiting his judgement before deciding how to vote.

The deal was struck at the end of four years of wrangling

Careers have ended and previous prime ministers have been forced to step aside in the time since Britain voted to leave

Mr Johnson finished his message: "We must remember that what the public want us to do is focus above all on defeating Covid and rebuilding our economy.

"I am glad that at least one uncertainty is now out of the way.

"P.S. On fish, we are talking hundreds of thousand of tonnes more even in the transition period! Enough fish to stretch to the South Pole and back!"

He told Brits publicly the deal brings “certainty to business, travellers and all the investors in our country — and a happy, successful and stable partnership with our friends in the EU for years to come.” 

From January 1, Britain will be a fully independent nation - leaving the single market and the customs union behind.

There’ll be no dynamic alignment with EU rules in the future.

The deal also means the UK can finally cut ties with Europe's meddlesome judges and sever the bloc's red tape - as promised in the historic 2016 referendum.

The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier spent Christmas Day poring over the details of the huge agreement.

He said it was "mission accomplished" before making his way into EU headquarters to meet with ambassadors.

Timeline for change

YESTERDAY: Sporting Christmas jumpers, diplomats from the remaining 27 EU countries met to begin rubber stamping the new trade deal. None was expected to veto the deal — not even France.

NEXT WEEK: Brit MPs will be recalled to Parliament on December 30 to pass the laws needed for the deal to come into effect. Downing Street is confident it can pass through both Houses in one day.

NEW YEAR’S LEAVE: Britain will formally leave the transition period at 11pm on December 31 — and the new trading relationship with Brussels and other countries around the world can formally begin.

NEXT MONTH: European MEPs are furious they have to wait until January to sign off on the deal as time ran out this year for them to have a say.

Sebastian Fischer, a spokesman for the German presidency of the Council of the EU, joked he was looking forward to the diplomats' meeting "because nothing is more fun than to celebrate Christmas among socially distanced colleagues".

But despite the cheer, we revealed today the PM told Brussels: "I won't sign it - I won't" in a row over taxes hours ahead of securing the deal.

Mr Johnson warned the EU its demands to slap trade tariffs on Britain if we did not let them fish our waters forever was a deal breaker.

A source told The Sun: “The PM was ready to walk at that point. 

“We were writing a script trying to explain to the world we had blown up a £660billion deal over less than a billion quid of fish.”

Mr Johnson’s hardline stance saw Brussels blink on the demand late on Tuesday, with the EU asking for a long transition for their fishing boats “as cover” for their climbdown.

And hours later, the PM told Brits his deal is “glad tidings of great joy” for the UK as we will be unshackled from 40 years of Brussels control.

What’s in the Brexit deal and what will change?

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2020-12-26 12:35:00Z
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