Boris Johnson's Brexit deal clears all stages in Parliament after receiving royal assent

Tim Baker23 January 2020
WEST END FINAL

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Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal has cleared all stages in Parliament after it received royal assent.

Some MPs cheered as deputy speaker Nigel Evans confirmed the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act had received royal assent in a short announcement to the Commons.

Following his election landslide in December, Mr Johnson was able to get his deal through parliament with ease compared to his attempts.

On Wednesday, the House of Lords decided against trying to force more amendments onto the bill after the Commons overturned the previous ones.

The Prime Minister called for the "rancour and division" to be left behind after the bill was sent to the palace yesterday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson - In pictures

PMQ session in London
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Mr Johnson said: "Now we can put the rancour and division of the past three years behind us and focus on delivering a bright, exciting future - with better hospitals and schools, safer streets and opportunity spread to every corner of our country."

It is expected that the European Parliament will hold its consent vote on January 29.

Among the amendments rejected by MPs was a move, championed by Lord Dubs, to ensure the right of unaccompanied child refugees to be reunited with their families in the UK post-Brexit.

Peers had also put forward a proposal on the rights of EU workers legally residing in the UK to have physical proof of their right to remain and the power of courts to depart from European Court of Justice rulings.

The deal easily passed the commons
AP

Another underlined the commitment to the so-called Sewel Convention, which states that the UK Parliament "will not normally" legislate for devolved matters without the consent of the devolved legislature affected.

The five amendments were comfortably reversed by MPs, with majorities ranging from 86 to 103.​

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