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MPs to vote on Boris Johnson's Brexit deal Brexit: MPs to vote on Boris Johnson's deal
(32 minutes later)
MPs will vote later on whether to back the prime minister's plan for the UK to leave the EU on 31 January.MPs will vote later on whether to back the prime minister's plan for the UK to leave the EU on 31 January.
The EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill would also ban the government from extending the transition period - where the UK is out of the EU but follows many of its rules - past 2020.The EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill would also ban the government from extending the transition period - where the UK is out of the EU but follows many of its rules - past 2020.
Boris Johnson said it would end "delay and rancour" and provide "certainty". Boris Johnson said it would allow the UK to "move forward".
Opponents say the bill leaves the UK's future uncertain, and agreeing a trade deal with the EU could take many years.Opponents say the bill leaves the UK's future uncertain, and agreeing a trade deal with the EU could take many years.
But the government insists one can be in place by the end the transition period.But the government insists one can be in place by the end the transition period.
The result of the Commons vote on the bill is expected at about 15:00 GMT.
The withdrawal bill, which would implement the Brexit agreement the prime minister reached with the EU in October, was introduced in Thursday's Queen's Speech, setting out the government's priorities for the next year.The withdrawal bill, which would implement the Brexit agreement the prime minister reached with the EU in October, was introduced in Thursday's Queen's Speech, setting out the government's priorities for the next year.
MPs will have their first chance to debate it in the House of Commons on Friday at its second reading - a vote on its general principles. Beginning the debate in the Commons, the prime minister said his bill "learns the emphatic lesson of the last Parliament" and "rejects any further delay".
"It ensures we depart on 31 January. At that point Brexit will be done. It will be over," he told MPs.
"The sorry story of the last three years will be at an end and we can move forward."
Mr Johnson said it also "paves the way" for a "ambitious free trade deal" with the EU.
"The oven is on, it is set at gas mark four, we can have it done at lunchtime and the new deal I negotiated will restore our great institutions," he said.
The bill's second reading is the first chance MPs have had to debate its main principles in the House of Commons.
With the Conservatives having won an 80-seat majority at last week's general election, the bill is expected to pass easily, before it moves on to further scrutiny by MPs and the House of Lords.With the Conservatives having won an 80-seat majority at last week's general election, the bill is expected to pass easily, before it moves on to further scrutiny by MPs and the House of Lords.
MPs have been given a further three days - 7, 8 and 9 January - to continue their debate in the Commons.MPs have been given a further three days - 7, 8 and 9 January - to continue their debate in the Commons.
The government says it will get it into law in time for the 31 January Brexit deadline. The government says it will get the bill into law in time for the 31 January Brexit deadline.
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said Friday would be "an historic day" for the UK. An earlier withdrawal agreement - reached between previous Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU - was rejected three times by MPs.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said: "The reality is the British people in the general election made clear they want Brexit delivered, but also they want us to bring the country back together - to start the healing process and to move on to the many other issues in the manifesto that we want to focus on.
"Today... is an opportunity after three years of dither, of delay, of divisiveness, to actually deliver and step forward and move this legislation to leave by 31 January, and be able to then start bringing the country back together."
There are changes to the previous bill, which was backed by the Commons in October, but withdrawn by the government after MPs rejected a three-day deadline for getting it through Parliament.There are changes to the previous bill, which was backed by the Commons in October, but withdrawn by the government after MPs rejected a three-day deadline for getting it through Parliament.
The changes include:The changes include:
The bill also loses a previous clause on strengthening workers' rights.The bill also loses a previous clause on strengthening workers' rights.
The government now says it will deal with this issue in a separate piece of legislation, but the TUC has warned that the change will help "drive down" working conditions.The government now says it will deal with this issue in a separate piece of legislation, but the TUC has warned that the change will help "drive down" working conditions.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told MPs that Mr Johnson had "deliberately resurrected the threat of no-deal" at the end of 2020 by limiting the length of the transition period to 11 months, while shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer described the decision as "reckless and irresponsible", adding that the prime minister was "prepared to put people's jobs at risk".
Shadow treasury minister Anneliese Dodds told BBC Breakfast the bill "goes against some of the previous assurances that we've had".
She said it was "clearly quite a poor bill so it's not one I can support", but conceded that the government's majority meant Labour was unlikely to be able to prevent the bill going through.
The leader of the SNP in Westminster, Ian Blackford, said the prime minister was "blindly hurtling towards the cliff-edge with his devastating Brexit plans that will leave us all poorer and worse off".
He added: "SNP MPs will not vote for this flawed and deeply damaging legislation."
But Mr Barclay rejected the criticism, saying the bill offered "increased scrutiny" of the Brexit process to Parliament.
What a difference a year makes.What a difference a year makes.
It was back in January that Theresa May embarked on a series of Commons defeats as she tried and failed to begin the process of getting her Brexit plans approved.It was back in January that Theresa May embarked on a series of Commons defeats as she tried and failed to begin the process of getting her Brexit plans approved.
It was only in October that Boris Johnson paused his own efforts when MPs rejected the proposed timetable for getting the Withdrawal Agreement through parliament.It was only in October that Boris Johnson paused his own efforts when MPs rejected the proposed timetable for getting the Withdrawal Agreement through parliament.
But now, following the general election and with an 80-strong Conservative majority, things look very different.But now, following the general election and with an 80-strong Conservative majority, things look very different.
And Boris Johnson knows it, claiming that it's time for "certainty" after years of "delay and rancour".And Boris Johnson knows it, claiming that it's time for "certainty" after years of "delay and rancour".
But the bill will come in for criticism. Gone are clauses about workers' rights - Downing Street says that will be dealt with in separate legislation.But the bill will come in for criticism. Gone are clauses about workers' rights - Downing Street says that will be dealt with in separate legislation.
And added: a provision ruling out any extension to the transition period beyond December 2020.And added: a provision ruling out any extension to the transition period beyond December 2020.
The process of ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement Bill will continue in the New Year but Friday's vote is, in part, designed to signal that the UK is now motoring towards that January 31 departure date.The process of ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement Bill will continue in the New Year but Friday's vote is, in part, designed to signal that the UK is now motoring towards that January 31 departure date.
Ahead of Friday's debate, Mr Johnson said: "We will deliver on the promise we made to the people and get the Brexit vote wrapped up for Christmas." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the government's "mishandling of Brexit" had "paralysed the political system," divided communities and was a "national embarrassment".
An earlier withdrawal agreement - reached between previous Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU - was rejected three times by MPs. He said MPs "have to respect the decision" of the EU referendum in 2016 "and move on".
But Mr Johnson's general election result, giving him a comfortable majority in the Commons, means it should be far easier to get his version ratified. "However, that doesn't mean that we as a party should abandon our basic principles," he said.
He said: "After years of delay and rancour in Parliament, we will deliver certainty and hard-working businesses and people across this country will have a firm foundation on which to plan for the future." "Labour will not support this bill as we remain certain there is a better and fairer way for this country to leave the EU."
He said there had to be something better than this "terrible" Brexit deal that would not "sell out public services" or "sacrifice hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process".
The leader of the SNP in Westminster, Ian Blackford, said the prime minister was "blindly hurtling towards the cliff edge with his devastating Brexit plans that will leave us all poorer and worse off".
He added: "SNP MPs will not vote for this flawed and deeply damaging legislation."
But Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay rejected the criticism, saying the bill offered "increased scrutiny" of the Brexit process to Parliament.
In the 2016 referendum, the UK voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU. But the subsequent difficulties in getting Brexit through Parliament have caused gridlock at Westminster.In the 2016 referendum, the UK voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU. But the subsequent difficulties in getting Brexit through Parliament have caused gridlock at Westminster.
The result of the Commons vote on the bill is expected at about 15:00 GMT on Friday.