MPs will be voting TODAY on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill after Boris Johnson secured the Tory majority he needed in parliament.
What time are will the results be announced and what is going to be debated? Here’s what we know.
What time do MPs vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill?
MPs are expected to on the bill this afternoon.
MPs will debate on the bill before casting their vote.
If it passes the bill would ban the government from extending the transition period where the UK is out of the EU, but will still follow many of its rules past 2020.
The PM has said passing the bill will allow the UK to “move forward” while opponents say the current bill leaves the UK’s future in the balance.
How long do they have to debate the bill and when will we know the results?
MPs are currently debating the agreement the PM reached with the EU in October.
The results of the Commons vote is expected to be announced at 3pm today.
Starting the debate today, Mr Johnson said his bill “learns the emphatic lesson of the last Parliament” and “rejects any further delay”.
He continued: “It ensures we depart on 31 January. At that point Brexit will be done. It will be over.
“The sorry story of the last three years will be at an end and we can move forward.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Labour will not support this bill as we remain certain there is a better and fairer way for this country to leave the EU.”
December 20 is the first chance MPs have to debate the principles of the bill before voting on it.
After Mr Johnson secured an 80-seat majority after the December General Election, the bill is likely to pass before it is looked at by the House of Lords.
MPs also have January 7, 8 and 9 to continue their debate in the Commons.
What changes have been made to the bill?
This bill is not the exact same one Theresa May failed to get through the Commons earlier this year.
A few key changes have been made, which were backed by the Commons in October.
They swiftly withdrawn by the government after MPs rejected a three-day deadline for getting it through Parliament.
The changes are:
- Legally prohibiting the government from extending the transition period beyond December 31 2020 – which is the time frame for the UK and EU trade deal to be discussed
- Allowing more UK courts to reconsider European Court of Justice rulings that are still UK law after Brexit
- Requiring ministers to report annually to Parliament on disputes with the EU under the PM’s Brexit deal
- Repealing spent legalisation that “now serves no purpose”.
The bill is also losing a clause on strengthening workers’ rights, but the government said it will revisit that issue in a separate piece of legislation.
When do MPs vote on the rest of the Queen’s Speech?
After voting on the Withdrawal Agreement, MPs will break up for the holidays.
They don’t return to parliament until January 6 where they will continue to debate the Brexit bill.
It is unclear when the rest of the Queen’s Speech will be voted on.
