UK Finally Seal Brexit Deal With European Union, As Johnson Seeks House Approval

14 days to the planned exit of Britain from the European Union (EU), both UK and EU have agreed to a new Brexit deal as Boris Johnson said he will ask MPs to vote for it on Saturday despite continued DUP opposition.

Johnson and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker both announced the bombshell breakthrough this morning.
However, the DUP has rejected the proposed agreement which means it is far from certain that it will be agreed by a majority of MPs when Parliament sits at the weekend.
Johnson tweeted: 'We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control — now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment.'
Juncker added: 'Where there is a will, there is a deal - we have one!
‘It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions. I recommend that #EUCO endorses this deal.’
The DUP issued a statement early Thursday in which the party branded the package put forward by the PM unacceptable.
The party said it 'cannot support' the concessions made on customs and consent of the Northern Irish people.
Dealing another hammer blow to the fledgling blueprint, they also condemned a 'lack of clarity' on whether EU VAT rates will apply in the province.
The DUP statement was issued before Johnson announced that a deal had been done with the EU.
But the party then reportedly refused to budge in the wake of the news as sources told Sky News: 'Read our statement. It has not changed.'
Johnson's decision to push ahead with the deal despite not having the support of the DUP sets up a tense showdown vote in the House of Commons on 'Super Saturday'.
The PM will need to secure the support of 320 MPs when the deal is put to a vote but his path to reaching that number without the DUP appears fraught with difficulty.
The DUP's opposition to the deal raises questions about whether hardline Tory Brexiteers will be able to back it as well given that they have tended to take their cue from the unionists.
That means the PM could be reliant on the votes of a handful of Labour MPs if he is to have any hope of getting his agreement through Parliament.
Despite the uncertainty over the Commons vote, the agreement struck between the EU and UK represents a major win for Johnson.
It will boost Brexiteer hopes that the PM will be able to deliver on his 'do or die' pledge to take Britain out of the EU by the October 31 deadline.
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, immediately moved to dismiss the deal as he described it as 'worse than Theresa May's'.
He said in a statement: 'From what we know, it seems the Prime Minister has negotiated an even worse deal than Theresa May’s, which was overwhelmingly rejected.
'These proposals risk triggering a race to the bottom on rights and protections: putting food safety at risk, cutting environmental standards and workers’ rights, and opening up our NHS to a takeover by US private corporations.
'This sell out deal won’t bring the country together and should be rejected. The best way to get Brexit sorted is to give the people the final say in a public vote.'
Pound soars to five month high after Brexit deal agreed
The pound surged against the dollar today after Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed a Brexit deal had been agreed with the European Union.
Sterling rose 1 per cent this morning above $1.29 which marked a five-month high for the currency as Johnson headed for a crunch EU summit in Brussels.
The pound has gained more than 6 per cent in value against the dollar this week as hopes increased of a Brexit deal by the end of October 31.
The pound was also up 0.5 per cent against the euro with a pound worth €1.1129.
Analysts have revised up expectations of Brexit happening at the end of this month while traders have cut back their short positions on the British currency.
Artur Baluszynski, head of research at Henderson Rowe, said: 'Big win for Boris. If he manages to get it through parliament, we should see a wave of 'risk-on' trades coming into UK market.
'However, let us wait and see all the details and then let the markets decide how likely it is for the UK parliament to accept it. For now, expect some positive momentum in sterling and domestically focused asset classes.'
Jo Swinson, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, responded to the news of the agreement being in place by insisting that it must be put to a referendum.
She said: 'The fight to stop Brexit is far from over. Boris Johnson’s deal would be bad for our economy, bad for our public services, and bad for our environment.