European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel show signed Brexit trade agreement due to come into force on January 1, 2021, in Brussels, Belgium December 30, 2020. — Reuters pic
Britain will leave the European single market and customs union at 11:00pm tomorrow, the end of a difficult year and of a post-Brexit transition period marked by intense and tortuous trade negotiations. London and Brussels would work “hand in glove whenever our values and interests coincide, while fulfilling the sovereign wish of the British people to live under their own sovereign laws made by their own sovereign parliament”, he added.Michel echoed the sentiment in Brussels, vowing the two sides would work “shoulder to shoulder” on major issues, including climate change and future health pandemics.
But British fishermen have accused the government of selling them out, while services—accounting for 80 per cent of the UK economy—were largely omitted. Despite misgivings among some of his own MPs, who plan to abstain or vote against the agreement, Labour leader Keir Starmer said neutrality was not an option given the stakes for Britain.