What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

MPs are set to hold their first vote on Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal this Friday - just a day after the Queen’s Speech.

Downing Street today announced the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill will be introduced to Parliament this Friday.

No10 would not confirm when the second reading vote will be - as it needs to be negotiated with the Speaker.

But Mr Johnson is understood to be aiming to rush through the vote, which will be the Bill’s first hurdle, on Friday.

The PM’s official spokesman said: “We plan to start the process before Christmas and will do so in the proper constitutional way in discussion with the Speaker.”

The ‘WAB’ - which would then go into a detailed committee stage next month - is the legal means of translating the PM’s exit deal with the EU into UK law by January 31.

(Image: PA)



Before the election MPs warned it was riddled with problems including fewer guarantees for workers’ rights, customs checks in the Irish Sea and a ‘trapdoor’ to no deal Brexit if there’s no trade deal with the EU by 31 December 2020.

Yet now it’s likely to be passed as there is a Tory majority of 80.

No10 today refused to say whether there would be any compromises to address the problems.

The spokesman simply said: “The Bill will reflect the Agreement made with the EU on our Withdrawal.”

The spokesman said the PM was “confident” he can get a “Canada style” deal by the December 2020 deadline - despite the EU’s deal with Canada taking seven years.

But the PM’s spokesman repeatedly refused to be drawn on the details of what that trade deal might look like or whether Mr Johnson would be prepared to walk away from talks.







The PM said during the election that he wouldn’t extend the deadline beyond December 2020.

The spokesman said: “The government has just been elected on a clear majority to deliver Brexit and we are focused don passing legislation to make sure that happens by January 31.”