Boris Johnson news: EU agrees Brexit deal as parliament clears way for second referendum vote

PM faces Commons battle to gain approval from MPs

Boris Johnson confirms Brexit deal is 'very good deal'

Boris Johnson has said he is “very confident” MPs will want to back his Brexit deal after UK and EU officials secured an agreement at a critical summit in Brussels.

But the prime minister’s DUP allies poured cold water on his hopes of progress by declaring they will oppose the plan – leaving Mr Johnson scrambling to find votes elsewhere.

The PM faces an uphill struggle to get his deal approved at an historic Commons sitting this Saturday.

MPs have won a key parliamentary vote paving the way for a bid to secure a second referendum on Saturday.

Senior Labour party figures, such as John McDonnell, have strongly criticised the agreement.

“The more people examine text of Johnson deal, the more you realise what a sell out deal it is,” Mr McDonnell said on Twitter.

“It’s not just the DUP, he’s sold out virtually every sector of our economy & all those who may have voted to leave believing a deal could be secured that protected their jobs.”

European leaders unanimously endorsed the proposal on Thursday and formally sent it to the British parliament.

“This is a great deal for our country. I also believe it’s a very good deal for our friends in the EU,” Mr Johnson told reporters in Brussels.

“There is a very good case for MPs across the House of Commons to express the democratic will of the people, as we have pledged many times to do and to get Brexit done.”

If you would like to see how the day’s events unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:

[17 October 2019 11:09 · Adam Forrest]

Jeremy Corbyn rejects ‘sell-out’ agreement as worse than May's deal

Jeremy Corbyn has responded to the agreement of a Brexit deal.

The Labour leader said: “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.”

[17 October 2019 11:12 · Adam Forrest]

Jo Swinson says Brexit fight ‘far from over’

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has also rejected the deal forged by the PM, unsurprisingly. “The fight to stop Brexit is far from over,” she says.

“Boris Johnson’s deal would be bad for our economy, bad for our public services, and bad for our environment.

“The next few days will set the direction of our country for generations, and I am more determined than ever to stop Brexit.

“When this deal comes to parliament we will use every possible opportunity to give the public a People’s Vote on the Brexit deal that includes the option to remain in the European Union.”

[17 October 2019 11:25 · Adam Forrest]

Michel Barnier says Stormont consent will happen by ‘simple majority’

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier is now speaking in the European parliament. He said the revised, agreed withdrawal agreement answers the “uncertainty” created by Brexit.

“Discussions over the past days have at times been difficult, but have delivered and we have delivered together.”

He confirms Northern Ireland will remain in the UK’s customs territory and the transition period will end at the end of 2020.

And he says the Northern Ireland Assembly will decide on the customs arrangements by a simple majority.

Michel Barnier speaks in Brussels (PA) 

[17 October 2019 11:32 · Adam Forrest]

Does Boris Johnson have the numbers to get deal approved?

Our chief political commentator John Rentoul has taken a look at how the numbers stack up in the Commons for the prime minister. Remember, he needs to get his deal approved in parliament by Saturday if he is to avoid asking the EU for an extension to the 31 October deadline, a delay required by the Benn Act.

[17 October 2019 11:39 · Adam Forrest]

Boris Johnson says UK leaving EU customs union ‘as one’

Boris Johnson has had more to say about his Brexit deal with the EU. The PM says this is a deal “which allows us to get Brexit done and leave the EU in two weeks’ time” and “ensures that we take back control of our laws, borders, money and trade”.

[17 October 2019 11:45 · Adam Forrest]

Jeremy Corbyn says vote on second referendum ‘won’t come up’ on Saturday

Jeremy Corbyn said he does not “suspect” Saturday will present a chance to get a confirmatory referendum through parliament.

The Labour leader risks the fury of his MPs, who have been keen to make Johnson’s deal dependent on a “Final Say” referendum.

Asked if he would back an amendment to attach a second referendum to Boris Johnson’s deal on Saturday, he told reporters: “It won’t come up on Saturday, I suspect.”

He described reports that Labour could back such a vote as “high level speculation on a hypothetical question”.

On the deal, he said: “This is a day where the prime minister seems to have made a deal with the European Union which doesn’t give us the complete freedom of movement between Britain and Ireland because it creates a customs union border down the Irish Sea.

“As it stands we cannot support this deal. Also it is unclear whether it has the support of his allies in the DUP, or indeed many of his allies on his own backbenches.”

[17 October 2019 11:53 · Adam Forrest]

Boris Johnson ‘wants EU to rule out delays’

According to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Boris Johnson is going to ask EU leaders to “rule out” any Brexit extension. Remember, the Benn Act compels the prime minister to ask for an extension if the deal fails to pass in the Commons by the end of Saturday.

[17 October 2019 11:58 · Adam Forrest]

Jacob Rees-Mogg says the DUP can find ‘comfort’ in Brexit deal

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed the “exciting” Brexit deal agreed this morning “takes out the anti-democratic backstop and delivers what the prime minister promised he would do”.

He says “this deal is the tournedos rossini of a deal” – referring to the French steak dish.

Rees-Mogg adds that he hopes the DUP can find “comfort and support” in the agreement.

[17 October 2019 12:11 · Adam Forrest]

Tory ‘Spartans’ offer support for deal

The DUP may not have yet backed Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, but some crucial Conservative support coming in. Andrea Jenkyns – one of the few dozen Brexiteering Tory “Spartans” who have taken their cue from the DUP – has made positive noises.

According to BuzzFeed News, Priti Patel, Theresa Villiers, James Duddridge, Ranil Jayawardena and Jenkyns – who rejected Theresa May’s deal at the third meaningful vote – have offered support for Johnson’s revised deal.

[17 October 2019 12:19 · Adam Forrest]

Nigel Farage calls for Brexit extension

Okay. Here’s a weird one. Nigel Farage is now calling for an extension, rather than backing Boris Johnson’s plan to get out of the EU by 31 October.

The Brexit Party doesn’t like the agreement forged this morning – and would rather take his chances with an extension and at a general election.

“It should be rejected … I’d very much like us on 31 October. But I understand that the Benn Act has been passed and that makes that impossible. Would I rather accept a new European treaty that’s frankly very bad for us, or would I prefer to have an extension and a general election – I will always go for the latter option.”