Boris Johnson’s first priority on being returned to Downing Street with an overall majority will be to make good on his election promise to “get Brexit done”.

The Tories will announce their legislative programme in a Queen’s Speech on 19 December and top of the agenda will be a Withdrawal Agreement Bill, tabled in parliament before Christmas, to ratify Mr Johnson’s deal with Brussels in time to leave on 31 January.

With a comfortable majority in the Commons and the removal of all his internal Remain-backing critics, the prime minister will no longer have to wrangle over details of his deal and will be free of the threat of parliamentary hijacks to block his plans.

He can be expected to accelerate the passage of the legislation through parliament. But senior sources poured cold water on reports that he could order MPs and peers to sit for additional days over the Christmas and New Year period to get the bill through.

Crucially, he will no longer be dependent on the votes of the hardline European Research Group and the Democratic Unionist Party, potentially giving him greater leeway to negotiate a softer trade deal which does not involve an abrupt and chaotic rupture from the EU.

Election night 2019: In Pictures Show all 36 1 /36 Election night 2019: In Pictures Election night 2019: In Pictures First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie with some her newly elected MP's at the Glasgow count Getty Election night 2019: In Pictures Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures after speaking AP Election night 2019: In Pictures A police officer breaks up a fight while Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell speaks Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Liberal Democrat candidate Luciana Berger reacts as she loses the Finchley & Golders Green constituency in north London PA Election night 2019: In Pictures DUP MP for Upper Bann Carla Lockhart with her son Charlie at Meadowbank Sports Arena as counting begins PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour's John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor speaks after winning his constituency seat following the count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London AP Election night 2019: In Pictures Liberal Democrats candidate for Edinburgh West, Christine Jardine retains her seat at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Theresa Villers after she was re-elected as MP for Chipping Barnet at Allainz Park, London in the 2019 General Election. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday December 13, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Election. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire Jacob King PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon takes a photo with party members at the SEC Centre in Glasgow after the declaration in her constituency in the 2019 general election, Friday Dec. 13, 2019. An exit poll in Britain's election projects that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party likely will win a majority of seats in Parliament. That outcome would allow Johnson to fulfil his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) Scott Heppell AP Election night 2019: In Pictures The DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly reacts to losing the Belfast South seat at the Titanic exhibition centre, Belfast, for the 2019 General Election. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday December 13, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire Liam McBurney PA Election night 2019: In Pictures TOPSHOT - Carrie Symonds, partner of Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson, holds their dog, a Jack Russell-cross named Dilyn, as she arrives at the count centre in Uxbridge, west London, on December 13, 2019 while votes were counted as part of the UK general election. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ruling party appeared on course for a sweeping victory in Thursday's snap election, an exit poll showed, paving the way for Britain to leave the EU next month after years of political deadlock. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) OLI SCARFF AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures TOPSHOT - Party activists keep an eye on proceedings as ballot papers are sorted at the count centre in Bishopbriggs, north of Glasgow on December 12, 2019. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain's general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) PAUL ELLIS AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures DUP leader Arlene Foster watches on as Sinn Fein candidate John Finucane is declared the winner of the north Belfast seat over DUP candidate Nigel Dodds in the Belfast count centre at the Titanic Exhibition centre on December 13, 2019 in Belfast, United Kingdom. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning. Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballots in a tray labelled Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats candidate for East Dunbartonshire, are seen at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Bishopbriggs, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Sinn Fein's John Finucane, the winning candidate in the Belfast North seat, with Party Vice President Michelle O'Neill and President Mary Lou McDonald, celebrates at the count centre, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, Northern Ireland REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon smiles as she arrives at the SEC Centre in Glasgow for the declaration in her constituency in the 2019 general election, Friday Dec. 13, 2019. An exit poll in Britain's election projects that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party likely will win a majority of seats in Parliament. That outcome would allow Johnson to fulfil his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month. AP Election night 2019: In Pictures Conservative Party MP Dominic Raab being congratulated by Baron Badger after being re-elected to serve the constituency of Esher and Walton at Sandown Park Racecourse in Surrey at the 2019 General Election. PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Conservative Party parliamentary candidate Jacob Rees-Mogg makes his way to the stage at the Sports Training Village, University of Bath, on December 13, 2019 in Bath, England. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning. Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Britain's Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson speaks on stage after losing her seat at the East Dunbartonshire count centre in Bishopbriggs, north of Glasgow, on December 13, 2019 after votes were counted as part of the UK general election. AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Bobby Smith, a political and fathers' rights activist and founder and leader of the 'Give Me Back Elmo' party, left, and Independent candidate Count Binface stand either side of Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson wait for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London, Friday AP Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, with wife Laura Alvarez, talks to workers as he arrives for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election. PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, visits the vote count in his Islington North constituency on December 12, 2019 in London, England. Corbyn, who has held the Islington North seat since 1983, is expected to step down as leader if his party is dealt a decisive defeat by the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning. Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour Party candidate Sharon Hodgson speaks after is announced as the winner for the constituency of Washington and Sunderland West at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Sunderland, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arriving for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election. PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour candidate for Walthamstow Stella Creasy carries her baby daughter as she speaks after winning in Britain's general election in Waltham Forest Town Hall, Walthamstow, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures The first ballot boxes for Belfast North are brought into the count centre in Belfast on December 12, 2019 to be counted for the UK general election. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain's general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Independent, Count Binface poses for a photograph as he waits for the results in the count centre in Uxbridge, where Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson hopes to hold his seat, in west London, on December 12, 2019. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain's general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit. AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballot boxes are emptied during the count at Northumbria University's Sports Central in Newcastle for the 2019 General Election PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballots are tallied at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Brighton, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballots arrive at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Esher, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures General Election 2019 - Election count at Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt for Newry & Armagh, South Antrim, North Antrim, Upper Bann, East Londonderry, Foyle, Lagan Valley and Mid Ulster. 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Ironically, Mr Johnson has been given a free hand to get Brexit done by a country which polls suggest no longer wants Brexit.

An eve-of-election poll for The Independent for BMG Research found that 54 per cent of voters want to Remain in the EU, against 46 per cent who want to Leave. And the preference for EU membership was overwhelming among young voters, with 68 per cent of 18-24 year-olds and 72 per cent of 25-34 year-olds saying they would vote Remain.

Some 50 per cent said withdrawal on the terms of Mr Johnson's deal will leave the UK worse-off in the short term, against just 18 per cent who thought it would benefit financially. In the longer term, the margin narrowed, with 36 per cent thinking the UK will be financially worse-off and 35 per cent better-off after five to 10 years.

Forty-five per cent thought the country would be more divided in the next few years as a result of Mr Johnson's deal being implemented, against 18 per cent who said it would be more united.

Dejected second referendum campaigners made no attempt to hide the depth of their disappointment at the result, after putting all their efforts into supporting tactical voting for a hung parliament which might deliver a Final Say vote. They insisted Labour’s under-performance was down to dissatisfaction with Jeremy Corbyn and not Brexit, as the party’s high command was claiming.

Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller said if the exit poll is correct then the UK "will be out" of the EU and there will not be a second referendum.

Speaking to ITV, Ms Miller, a lawyer who has campaigned against the government's Brexit strategy, said: "I don't think there'll be another vote. It will get passed as an Act of Parliament, it will then be ratified as an international treaty and we will be out."

But one insider in the Remain camp insisted the fight for a People’s Vote was not over. “There will be intense talks in the next few days about how to recalibrate the Final Say movement,” he told The Independent. “The scale of the majority will make it difficult, but there are going to arguments over Brexit for years and years, so we don’t think the case for a second referendum is over.”

Formal departure from the EU at the end of January will be far from the end of the matter, with an agreement still to be thrashed out on the UK’s future relations with its former European partners in areas like trade and security.

Mr Johnson has vowed to complete a free trade agreement by the end of 2020, and wrote a promise into the Conservative manifesto not to accept an offered two-year extension beyond this date.

But few in Brussels and few trade experts believe that a comprehensive deal can be concluded within this tight 11-month deadline, as the complex and detailed negotiations on similar agreements generally take five to seven years.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier this week told a meeting of MEPs that it would not be possible to complete a full deal by December. While the EU would do “as much as we can”, he said that a no-deal crash-out on World Trade Organisation terms remains a possibility.

His deputy Sabine Weyand suggested that no more than a “bare bones” treaty will be possible, covering goods exports but not the all-important service sector which makes up the bulk of the UK economy.

Even after that deal is complete, the UK faces potentially lengthy negotiations with countries like the US, Japan, Australia and China in a bid to restore some of the trade lost by cutting ties with the EU’s single market and customs union.

These will involve hugely controversial trade-offs on access to UK public service markets including health care, as well as environmental, workplace and animal welfare standards.

Conservatives are planning a “post-Brexit Budget" in February which the party promises will cut National Insurance for workers earning more than £8,632.

In a blueprint for their first 100 days, they said they would legislate for a funding increase to schools, change the law to increase the amount that migrants pay to use the NHS, begin cross-party talks to find a solution to the challenge of social care, and finalise an agreement with mobile phone operators to improve mobile service in the countryside.

The party also said they will have introduced:

- legislation to ensure the extra £33.9 billion per year they say they are putting in to the NHS by 2023 is enshrined in law

- new laws to create a new Australian-style points-based immigration system

- legislation for tougher sentences to ensure terrorists spend longer in prison.