Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union has won the backing of the Brexiteer backbenchers, who have said the agreement “preserves the UK’s sovereignty”.
A self-styled “star chamber” of lawyers – led by senior Tory Sir Bill Cash – was assembled by the European Research Group (ERG) to examine the 1,246-page text of the agreement.
They concluded that the agreement “preserves the UK’s sovereignty as a matter of law and fully respects the norms of international sovereign-to-sovereign treaties”.
In a statement, they said: “The “level playing field” clauses go further than in comparable trade agreements, but their impact on the practical exercise of sovereignty is likely to be limited if addressed by a robust government.
| UPDATED: 10:29, Wed, Dec 30, 2020
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MPs and peers will debate and vote on the EU (Future Relationship) Bill on Wednesday, with the legislation being rushed through in a day ahead of the end of the transition period at 11pm on Thursday. The Parly App has tweeted how the deal is expected to be voted for. It said: Whipped to vote for the EU (future relationship) bill: Conservatives (364) Labour (200) Whipped to vote against: SNP (46) Lib Dems (11) DUP (8) Plaid (3) SDLP (2) Alliance (1) Green (1).