MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

PM May says cabinet backs UK/EU draft withdrawal agreement, but it still has to be approved by Parliament

The prime minister made the announcement after what she said was a “long, detailed and impassioned debate” in a five-hour cabinet meeting

The British cabinet has backed a draft withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU, Theresa May has said. The prime minister was speaking after what she said was a “long, detailed and impassioned debate” in a five-hour cabinet meeting.

In her statement outside Downing Street, Mrs. May said the agreed package was “the result of thousands of hours of hard negotiation with EU officials”.

She believed that “this decisive choice is in the best interests of the entire UK”, adding: “When you strip away the detail, the choice before us is clear.

”This deal, which delivers on the vote of the referendum, which brings back control of our money, laws and borders, ends free movement, protects jobs, security and our Union; or leave with no deal, or no Brexit at all.“

The 585-page draft withdrawal agreement has now been published, alongside a shorter statement setting out what the UK and EU's future relations will look like.

The withdrawal agreement covers so-called ”divorce“ issues. It includes a commitment to protect the rights of EU nationals in the UK and Britons living in the EU to continue living, working and studying.

There is also a planned 21-month transition period after the UK leaves the EU in March 2019, and a ”financial settlement“ from the UK, thought to be between £35bn and £39bn.

The most contentious part of the negotiations is a ”backstop“, which aims to guarantee that physical checks will not be reintroduced at the border with the Irish Republic, in the event this is not settled by a UK-EU trade deal.

Both sides have resolved to ensure the backstop is not necessary by coming up with alternative arrangements.

Speaking at a press conference, EU negotiator Michel Barnier said if this is not possible by July 2020, the transition period could be extended - and if it is still not settled by the end of the transition, the backstop would ”kick in“.

This would involve a joint UK-EU ”single customs territory“, so customs checks are not needed on the border. Northern Ireland would stay aligned to the EU single market rules that are ”essential for the avoidance of a hard border“, Mr. Barnier added, saying the backstop plan was based on the UK's proposal.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he did not think the agreement was in the national interest because it ”doesn't meet the needs of all parts of Britain“. Labour would reveal during Thursday morning's Commons statement whether it will vote against the agreement, he said.

Some Tory MPs are angry, claiming it could mean the UK is tied to EU rules for years to come.

Conservative Rees-Mogg, who has written to MPs urging them to oppose the proposals, told BBC Radio 5 Live it was ”a pretty rotten deal“, keeping the UK in the EU's customs union and ”splitting up“ the UK.

Despite winning the backing of her cabinet, the prime minister faces a battle to get the completed deal through Parliament.

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party - which gives the government the support it needs to win key votes - has joined opposition parties in criticising it. Senior DUP figures spent an hour in Theresa May's office after the publication of the draft text.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: ”This proposed deal would be a bad one for Scotland, taking us out of a single market eight times the size of the UK market alone and posing a huge threat to jobs, investment and living standards.“

Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila tweeted to say that while Wednesday's developments were important, ”decisions on both sides are still needed for a final agreement“.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he was ”very pleased“, adding: ”The result is a good one.”

Donald Tusk, the president of the EU Council and the man who will decide when to hold a summit to sign the Brexit agreement, is due to address reporters alongside Mr Barnier on Thursday morning, his office said.