Brexit: Boris Johnson urges MPs to ‘heal rift in British politics’ in vote on new deal – live news

Labour’s Pat McFadden says PM is promising Tory MPs the deregulated future they dream off while promising opposition MPs a road to better workers’ rights, interests Johnson rubbished while a journalist. Both cannot be true, he insists.

Johnson says both are possible.

The Lib Dem MP Luciana Berger asks how MPs can vote on a deal today when the PM’s Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, was on TV this morning saying no economic assessment of the deal had been done.

Johnson responds by saying the deal has been welcomed by a broad range of people, including the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney.

The Tory MP John Baron stands up and says he will back the deal because it abolishes the “anti-democratic backstop”. The abolition also makes a free trade deal more likely, says Baron.

Johnson – unsurprisingly – agrees.

Another former Tory, David Gauke, says Johnson has done well to agree a deal but asks whether he will ensure that a “deep and special relationship” is agreed with the EU before the implementation period comes to an end.

The PM says the 14-month period to reach a free trade deal with the EU is sufficient even though it is “a blistering pace”. He says detractors said he would never be able to reopen the withdrawal deal or get rid of the backstop (some would suggest he has not achieved the latter).

The Green party’s Caroline Lucas says the deal takes a “wrecking ball” to our social and environmental standards and that is why the PM will not put it to the British people.

Johnson says she has misread the deal, as parliament makes a commitment to uphold standards. He says he hopes standards will be even higher.

Justine Greening, another former Tory, asks if the PM recognises that dismissing concerns of other nations within the UK and communities within England is no way to bring Britain back together.

Johnson says he didn’t mean to dismiss anyone’s concerns. His strong belief is the way to move the country forward is to get the deal done.

He even insists getting Brexit done will give people the opportunity to stress their pro-European views.

Greg Clark, another former Tory who had the whip removed, asks if Johnson will give a commitment that workers’ rights in the UK will never be inferior to those in the EU.

The PM says: “Yes, I can.”

There is a lot of noise in response including someone shouting “Yeah, yeah, yeah”. Unclear whether it is a hearty endorsement of Johnson or sarcastic …

Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader, says the Welsh are an “afterthought” and he has refused to share impact assessments. She denounces the “billionaire’s Brexit”.

The PM responds by saying Wales voted to leave and she should respect that.

Labour’s Angela Eagle says Johnson has put a border down the Irish Sea after promising he would not do so. Why would anyone believe him again?

Johnson says she is “simply wrong”. We have delivered in defiance of the scepticism of the party opposite who said it was necessary to keep Northern Ireland in the customs union, says the PM.

The Labour MP, Hilary Benn, says the deal will ensure friction-free trade for Northern Ireland. Why is the PM so determined to deny that to the rest of the UK?

Johnson says Benn believes in a delay to Brexit, which the PM does not agree with. There are reasons for treating the NI border with sensItivity and respect, says the PM.

David Davis says the prime minister has achieved what was deemed “impossible” two weeks ago.

The DUP’s Westminster leader, Nigel Dodds, takes a different view. He says the deal is contrary to the deal made in 2017 that said regulatory difference could only be implemented with the agreement of the Northern Ireland assembly.

The PM says the arrangements with respect to Northern Ireland that have made the deal possible are temporary. He also criticises the idea that anyone should have a veto when the overall Brexit vote was won by 52% to 48%. He also insists the deal upholds the Good Friday agreement.

The PM says it will not remove workers’ rights and accuses Swinson of not allowing the British public a say on the deal by preventing a general election.

He also mocks what he says is the Lib Dems’ lack of influence in Brussels.

The Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, stands up and begins by saying the deal removes protections on workers’ rights.

The speaker, John Bercow, intervenes as she is jeered admonishing MPs for shouting her down.

She blasts the PM for not giving the British public a choice on his deal.

Iain Duncan Smith rises and says he will back the deal. He calls on Oliver Letwin to remove his amendment, in order to give the people “a meaningful vote”.

The PM responds by saying it would be a great shame if the opportunity to have a meaningful vote “were to be taken away from us”. He stresses that he thinks Letwin is motivated by the best of intentions.