Thanks to the Tory Party’s thumping Commons majority MPs are expected to vote through the revamped Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB), paving the way for the UK to leave the European Union on January 31. The UK will then enter an 11-month long transition period to thrash out and agree the terms of a future trading relationship. The Government has insisted will come to an end on 31 December 2020.
Mr Johnson managed to get an old version of the WAB initially approved by MPs earlier this year but a row over how much time should be spent discussing it derailed progress and ultimately forced the election.
Following last week’s historic victory, which gave him a massive 80-seat majority, the Prime Minister altered the WAB to include a clause banning ministers from accepting an extension to that implementation period.
With 365 Conservative MPs and total control of the House of Commons, Mr Johnson is now be able to deliver on his promise to “get Brexit done”.
After today’s vote MPs will then break for Christmas before returning in January to finalise the passage of the legislation.
Addressing MPs on Thursday Mr Johnson said he would not allow any more “dither and delay”, ruling out any extension beyond next year to the transition period to negotiate a free trade deal with the EU.
“Our first task is to get Brexit done and we will leave the EU at the end of January,” he said.
“As I have said many times over the course of the election campaign, we have a pre-cooked Brexit meal ready to pop in the microwave.
“We will release the country from the stranglehold of indecision, restoring confidence to people and businesses. We will avoid the trap of further dither and delay – by ruling out any extension to the implementation period beyond 2020.”
Mr Johnson said the deal will “take back control” of money, borders, law and trade, “clearing the way for an overarching programme of national renewal”.
In a further signal that Brexit is finally happening the government announced yesterday (Thursday) that the Department for Exiting the European Union will be wound up on January 31.
Established in 2016 following the Brexit referendum, the department is responsible for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establish the future relationship between the bloc and Britain.
A Government spokesman confirmed the department known as DExEU will be “wound up once the UK leaves the EU on January 31” after staff were spoken to on Thursday.
“We are very grateful for all their work and we will help everyone to find new roles,” the spokesman added.
It follows reports that the Prime Minister is planning a major shake-up of Whitehall – with suggestions that the best DExEU staff may join the Cabinet Office to boost numbers in Britain’s EU negotiating team.
Other key Brexit measures included focus on trade, farming, fisheries and the environment.
The government is also going to bring forward a Fisheries Bill to provide the “legal framework for the UK to operate as an independent coastal state after Brexit, no longer bound by the Common Fisheries Policy”.
This will allow the UK to “take back control of our waters” after Britain splits from Brussels – another key pledge of the Leave campaign in 2016.
