European Union leaders approve Brexit deal with Britain

European Union leaders approve Brexit deal with Britain
European Union leaders approve Brexit deal with Britain

European Union leaders gave their unanimous backing to a Brexit deal with Britain on Thursday, putting the onus on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to secure the British parliament's approval for the deal in a vote in two days' time.

British and EU negotiators reached theagreement after successive days of late-night talks and nearly three years ofheated discussions that have strained EU-UK ties.

After the deal was announced, Johnsonjoined the EU's 27 other leaders at a summit in Brussels, shaking each by thehand as he entered the room and laughing and joking with German ChancellorAngela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

He then left them to decide whether theyapproved the deal. After a little over an hour of discussion, the leadersissued a joint statement endorsing it.

"Now is the moment for us to get Brexitdone and then together to work on building our future partnership, which Ithink can be incredibly positive both for the UK and for the EU," Johnsontold a a joint news conference with Commission President Jean-Claude Junckerbefore the summit began.

"I hope very much … that my fellowMPs in Westminster do now come together to get Brexit done, to get thisexcellent deal over the line and to deliver Brexit without any moredelay."

Juncker said he wanted he deal to beapproved rapidly, with no need for any further extension of the Brexitdeadline. Brexit was initially supposed to have happened on March 31 this year.It will now take place on Oct. 31, as long as the deal is approved by theBritish and European parliaments.

"There must be no prolongation — ithas to happen now," Juncker said.

Johnson now needs to secure the votesneeded at an extraordinary session of parliament on Saturday. But thearithmetic is not easy or straightforward for him.

The Northern Irish party that Johnson needsto help ratify any agreement, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has refusedto support it, saying it is not in Northern Ireland's interests.

The head of the main opposition LabourParty, Jeremy Corbyn, said he was "unhappy" with the agreement andwould vote against it. Labour has said it wants any deal to be subject to apublic vote, but as yet has not indicated whether it will back any move for asecond referendum on Saturday.

Johnson appears intent on presentingparliament with a stark choice — the deal he has struck or no deal — in thehope of securing enough votes to get approval.

"The PM's position is that it's newdeal or no deal but no delay," said a senior British government official.

Even though parliament has passed a lawobliging him to ask the EU for a delay if a deal has not been finalised andapproved by Saturday, Johnson has said he will not do it.

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