Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during the Prime Minister’s questioning session at the House of Commons in London, Britain, on September 4, 2019.
Jessica Taylor | © UK Parliament | Reuters
LONDON – UK lawmakers voted to approve the historic Brexit trade agreement, which will be implemented on New Year’s Day.
The House of Commons, as expected, voted in favor of the agreement, and the country will exit the Brexit transition period with the EU at 11 pm local time on Thursday.
Members of Parliament supported the agreement by 521 votes to 73 before the December 31 deadline. That is a majority of 448. The bill will now be forwarded to the House of Lords, which must also support it, before receiving royal approval.
The opposition Labor Party supported the agreement despite concerns, but there were some rebel lawmakers in Labor and the Conservative Party in power.
The 1,246-page document, the details of which are published on the UK government website, and worrying last-minute negotiations left little time for any proper analysis ahead of time.
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon expressed his disapproval of the agreement, and the UK fishing industry gave an icy response, accusing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of guaranteeing only a “fraction of what the UK is entitled to agree. with international law and what the government has repeatedly said it would guarantee on behalf of the UK fishing industry. “
About 47 years after joining the European Union, Britain officially left the bloc on January 31, 2020. In doing so, it became the first nation to leave the EU. However, he agreed to continue following European rules until the end of 2020 so that he could negotiate more friendly terms of trade with the other 27 nations.
On Christmas Eve, the two sides reached a “zero-quota tariff agreement” to help facilitate trade in goods through the English Channel. This brought relief to exporters on both sides, who would have faced higher tariffs and costs had a deal not been struck.
The two sides have been involved in intense negotiations since March to establish how trade will work from January. On Monday, EU ambassadors approved a provisional order for the deal after working during the Christmas holiday. The EU Parliament will vote on the agreement next month.