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The EU and the UK have never been closer to an agreement. Boris Johnson is desperate for a deal before the British take over the Christmas turkey on Christmas Day.
Boris Johnson is desperate to negotiate a Brexit deal before the British take over the Christmas dinner. Photo: Alberto Pezzali / AP / NTB
So will Boris Johnson be able to deliver on his promise to “end Brexit” at the last second?
Everything indicates that it is heading towards a historic Brexit deal.
It has been negotiated overnight at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Just before midnight, quantities of pizza were delivered to the retailers. This indicates that no one leaves the room until an appointment has been made.
Both parties now have the same opinion on their position: an agreement seems to be in the offing.
According to the BBC, the Prime Minister has informed the Cabinet of the agreement. At 9am (Norwegian time) today, a press conference is scheduled. But first Boris Johnson will speak to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
He takes the victory in advance
Boris-friendly tabloids picked up the win last night. Although no one has yet seen the final text of the agreement.
The tone is also completely different from when former Conservative Prime Ministers Theresa May and David Cameron returned home with renegotiated deals from Brussels. Then there was the massacre on the very front pages of the newspapers: “Sell to the EU” were the headlines at the time.
Now the tone is completely different:
- “Hero Boris,” writes the most Boris-friendly Daily Express tabloid.
- “Hallelujah! It will be a happy Brexmas, “writes the Daily Mail.
- In The Sun, the tabloid of all tabloids, political editor Harry Cole is brimming with superlatives.
The front page celebrates Britain’s victory over the EU, and on Twitter he writes that Britain may finally cut all ties with the EU, as promised in the 2016 referendum.
The endless war years of Brexit are finally over, he writes.
The tabloid writes that the British have received almost everything they have asked for.
It is a story that will be greatly tempered when all parties can read the final draft of the agreement.
Just before midnight, Bloomberg announced to a French government source that the British had agreed to a compromise when it came to fishing. Fishing is one of the latest problems that has blocked progress.
The source is silent on whether Wednesday night’s commitment is enough to reach a deal. But on Wednesday afternoon, EU sources stated that a Brexit deal could take a few hours. According to the Bloomberg news agency, a draft agreement should be available.
The deal will now be sold
If a deal is reached within the next 24 hours, the battle to sell the deal begins. The stakes are high for both parties. No one will admit that they have given up.
Boris Johnson seems to have come off the grid better with the British tabloids behind him.
Boris Johnson must persuade his own party that the deal is a victory. Then his political life is saved. Photo: Ap / NTB
Johnson’s biggest problem will be selling the deal to his own party. When Theresa May failed to get her Brexit deal approved in the British House of Commons, it was she who rejected the deal.
It is these Brexiters, who really wanted Britain to leave the EU without a deal, that need to be convinced. If they think Boris Johnson has a good deal, his political life is saved.
Many frustrated professional drivers have been stranded at the ferry dock in Dover. Photo: Steve Parsons / PA / NTB
Work fears Dover conditions
In an interview with the BBC on Thursday morning, the opposition Labor party recalls that all the problems have not yet been resolved. Hilary Benn, who heads the party’s Brexit committee in the House of Commons, warns of complicated processes at the border, even with a deal.
– What happens if the ferries arrive in Dover without the proper paperwork? It doesn’t take many people to make a cork. Everyone hopes we don’t have to see scenes we’ve seen in recent days, but it depends on paperwork and flow, says Benn.
In recent days there have been long lines and a lot of frustration in Dover, in the south east of England. There the ferries go to France. Due to the new mutation of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom, the borders have been closed. Among other things, this has caused a fight on the dock.
What happens now?
According to the plan, this will happen in the next hours and days:
- The 27 EU ambassadors have already been told to report to work at the EU headquarters to be briefed on the final text of the agreement.
The president of the EU commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: Reuters / NTB
- Boris Johnson will speak to the nation on the steps across from Downing Street. But before that, he will have a meeting with staunch Brexitists from his own party, the so-called European Research Group (ERG). If they approve the deal, you are guaranteed to pass it in the House of Commons.
- The lower house has had a Christmas break, but will be called on Christmas 4 to vote on a deal.
- The European Parliament, which will also vote on the deal, has said the deadline for ratifying a deal this year has passed. Therefore, the formal approval will take place after the New Year.
- Meanwhile, EU countries must agree to grant Britain a “temporary deal”. (provisional agreement) -that will apply until ratification is approved.
The case is being updated
