What is the new Brexit deal?

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BORIS Johnson has confirmed a Brexit deal has been secured.

The deal will still need the approval of both the UK and European parliaments. But what is the deal? We explain…

Boris Johnson said he wanted to get Brexit finished with and has taken a step towards that

What is Boris Johnsons new Brexit deal?

The precise details of the new deal have yet to be explored, but ultimately it removes the risk of the UK being stuck in the customs union against its will, and gives Northern Ireland a veto on customs arrangements designed to avoid a hard border in Ireland.

The European Commission has published the full details of Boris Johnson’s deal.

You can find the revised Withdrawal Agreementhere.

You can click here to find the revised Political Declaration.

This is a non-binding document which sets out the future relationship between the UK and the EU.

 

The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the new deal “rests on four main elements” –

  • Northern Ireland will remain aligned to a limited set of EU rules, notably related to goods.
  • Northern Ireland will remain in the UK’s customs territory, but will “remain an entry point” into the EU’s single market.
  • There is an agreement to maintain the integrity of the single market and satisfy the UK’s legitimate wishes over VAT.
  • Northern Ireland representatives will be able to decide whether to continue applying union rules in Northern Ireland or not every four years.
Boris said the deal allows Britain to ‘take back control’

What are the next steps?

UK and EU negotiators have been working on the legal text of a Brexit deal, but it will still need to be approved by both the UK and European parliaments.

Both the DUP and Labour have said they will not back the deal.

However, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said it was a “fair and balanced agreement”.

If we leave the EU by October 31 with a deal, there will be a transition period – probably until the end of 2020 – in which EU law continues to apply to the UK.

The PM has even gone as faras saying he wouldforce the “Queen to sack him and trigger an election rather than resign” to get Brexit done by October 31.

The European Commission said: “It is for the European Council (Article 50) to endorse the revised Withdrawal Agreement in its entirety, as well as approve the revised Political Declaration on the framework of the future relationship.

“Before the Withdrawal Agreement can enter into force, it needs to be ratified by the EU and the UK. For the EU, the Council of the European Union must authorise the signature of the Withdrawal Agreement, before sending it to the European Parliament for its consent. The United Kingdom must ratify the agreement according to its own constitutional arrangements.”

What happens after the vote?

If MPs approve the deal on Saturday, the Government is expected to table the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on Monday. MPs could amend it to add a second referendum.

If it passes unchanged, the UK leaves the EU on October 31, as promised by Mr Johnson.

If Parliament rejects the deal then the so-called Benn Act requires the Prime Minister to request an extension to the Brexit process.

Jean-Claude Juncker has indicated the EU could reject that, and the UK would have to leave with no deal on Oct 31 or cancel Brexit.