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Pic: Number 10 * * * * image/svg+xml Why you can trust Sky News Key points: * Agreement reached on post-Brexit trade deal * Boris Johnson phones Tory MPs to brief them on the contents and tweets jubilant picture with double thumbs-up * PM says in Downing Street address that agreement allows UK to take 'back control of our laws and our destiny' * Analysis: Only two moments this year mattered when it came to the crunch issue * Parliament to be recalled to consider deal on 30 December * Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says party will vote for agreement * EU leaders welcome deal - but Nicola Sturgeon blasts 'broken promises' and says Scotland has been 'ignored' * Transition period due to end in just one week - on 31 December * Live reporting by Alan McGuinness, political reporter, and Emily Mee, news reporter 18:30 Goodbye That's it for our live coverage of a Christmas Eve that will go down in history as the day the UK and EU agreed a Brexit trade deal. Merry Christmas. 18:26 Analysis: After all these years, a friendly partnership becomes a slightly awkward divorce There will be few people across the EU who are truly happy to see the UK go, says Sky News' Europe correspondent Adam Parsons. 18:23 Nissan welcomes deal "We look forward to the continued success of our UK-based design, engineering and manufacturing operations, which have been serving the European market for more than 30 years," the company said in a statement. Nissan had warned that the future of its plant in Sunderland could be under threat if there was a no-deal Brexit. 18:06 Fishing industry will be 'extremely disappointed' with deal "In the end it was clear that Boris Johnson wanted an overall trade deal and was willing to sacrifice fishing," Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said. He continued: "The broad feeling is that the UK has made significant concessions on fish in order to secure a trade deal. "I think the industry will be extremely disappointed. "We have secured increases in quota from the EU but they don't come anywhere close to what our entitlement is in international law. "So I think there will be frustration and anger across the industry about that." 17:57 PM set to appear outside Number 10 Boris Johnson, Carrie Symonds and their son Wilfred are expected to appear outside Downing Street in a few minutes to ring bells on their doorstep as part of a campaign against loneliness. Mary Beggs-Reid, 41, from Harrogate, north Yorkshire, has organised the event to spread cheer to those alone at Christmas, with thousands across the UK expected to take part. 17:53 Watch: 'Big changes coming' despite deal being agreed 17:41 Analysis: Britain will be less secure now By Alistair Bunkall, defence and security correspondent There could never have been a deal that would fully replicate or replace the shared security mechanisms enjoyed by members of the EU. By leaving the union, the UK automatically forfeited its membership of Europol, Eurojust, the European Arrest Warrant and real-time sensitive data-sharing agreements such as the Schengen Information System (SIS2). Today’s deal confirms that outcome. These organisations and systems are not insignificant; so important is access to SIS2 that a senior British law enforcement officer described it as "a game-changer" in recent evidence to a House of Lords Select Committee. With access to SIS turned off in seven days’ time, finding some kind of effective substitute will be the greatest security challenge in the short-term. The figures speak for themselves: UK police access the SIS2 database around half a billion times every year; under the European Arrest Warrant the UK extradited more than 11,000 wanted criminals in the decade to 2019 and received hundreds in return. Through Europol, the UK co-operates with European partners on hundreds of cross-border criminal and terrorism investigations. In his press conference following the announcement of a deal, Boris Johnson reassured the public that it "protects our police co-operation, protects our ability to catch criminals and share intelligence across the European continent in the way we have done for many years." A document released by the European Commission around the same time was more circumspect, but revealed plans for "a new framework for law enforcement and judicial co-operation" and said the agreement includes "ambitious arrangements for timely, effective, efficient and reciprocal exchanges of air passenger data, criminal record information, as well as DNA, fingerprint and vehicle registration data". In more good news, there will be a provision for a fast-tracked extradition system to replace the European Arrest Warrant which will be "unprecedented for a non-Schengen third country" according to Brussels and the news that DNA and fingerprint data will continue to be exchanged through the Prum system. And so at face value (and we’re yet to see the detail or live the reality), the outcome would seem to be as good as could have been expected, but ultimately nothing could better, or mimic, what was already in place. Britain will be less secure as a result, at least in the immediate future. 17:34 Last months of Brexit talks were 'difficult and often tense', says French foreign minister A key sticking point during talks was fishing, which Boris Johnson has admitted the UK gave some ground on. 17:28 Downing Street conference call with business leaders cancelled for tonight 17:26 Analysis: Could this be a step towards Scottish independence? By James Matthews, Scotland correspondent In losing one union, Boris Johnson might just have lost a second. The UK’s departure from the European Union tightens the drum that beats Scottish independence. In a country that voted 62% to stay in the EU, Brexit has flipped opinion polls in favour of breaking away from the UK. It will be campaign issue number one in the Scottish Parliamentary elections next May. Whilst much will depend on how the detail of Brexit goes down and its reality, the SNP clearly see it as a constitutional crowbar. A vote for independence, they’ll say, is a vote to rejoin the EU. Sure, there are obstacles in the way, but if Nicola Sturgeon can negotiate a path towards a second independence referendum, the rules of engagement will be different from the first. In 2014, Scotland voted to stay in a UK within the EU. There was a strong pull towards the familiarity and security of existing political, economic and social infrastructure. Brexit changes all that. 17:23 Labour leader: 'Tough but necessary' decision to back deal Asked if he is engaging in "political opportunism" by saying he will vote for a deal despite a history of being pro-EU, Sir Keir Starmer rejects the charge. "In the end there is only one choice, a binary choice here: either we support the deal or we support the alternative, which is no deal. We've always been against no-deal," Sir Keir says. He adds: "Many people will see this as a tough but necessary decision." 17:20 'Better than nothing - but not by much': How has business reacted to the agreement? Business leaders have been reacting to news of a post-Brexit agreement after months of uncertainty. Some have remained cautious, with manufacturers' group Make UK says it would need to go through the details with a "fine tooth comb". TUC also signalled it was only partially welcoming the deal, saying: "This deal is better than nothing, but not by much. It won’t protect jobs and puts hard-won workers’ rights on the line. "As we come out of the pandemic, we’re facing a crunch point for jobs and living standards. This deal is on the prime minister’s head – it’s his responsibility to make sure working families don’t end up worse off." But others said it was a "huge relief", with the CBI's director-general Tony Danker saying: "We congratulate David Frost, Michel Barnier and their teams for this landmark achievement, and we praise the courage of our political leaders in reaching a deal. "This will come as a huge relief to British business at a time when resilience is at an all-time low. But coming so late in the day it is vital that both sides take instant steps to keep trade moving and services flowing while firms adjust." The British Retail Consortium also said it would "welcome" the announcement, which it said was a "crucially important step". 17:19 Labour leader asked what benefits of Brexit are Asked by Sky's Sam Coates what he thinks the benefits of Brexit are, Sir Keir Starmer says: "We've left the EU and therefore we have to make a future outside the EU. "We've now got a base upon which to build and that is a very, very good thing." Sir Keir adds: "We must now go forward and we have to make a success of this." 17:17 Starmer: This deal is better than no-deal Answering questions from journalists, Sir Keir Starmer says the choice facing the country is this deal or no deal and "we have to make it work". The Labour leader adds that it is "far better than no-deal", but says there is little in the agreement on services. Asked if he would go back to Brussels and try to renegotiate elements of it if he were to become PM, Sir Keir says an incoming labour government would "inherit" the deal and would want to make it work. He says the party would want to "improve" on it, but does not specify how. 17:12 Labour leader confirms party will vote for deal Sir Keir Starmer says no-deal is "simply not an option" as it would have dire consequences. The Labour leader adds that his party is firmly against such a scenario. He says he does not agree with those who have been calling for the party to abstain in a Brexit deal vote. "It is just not credible" for the party to "be on the sidelines", Sir Keir adds. He confirms Labour will vote for the deal when it is put before Parliament on 30 December. 17:10 Labour leader: Deal is 'thin agreement' Sir Keir Starmer says it a Brexit deal is "in the national interest" and the fact that the government was considering no-deal was "grossly irresponsible". He says the deal is a "thin agreement" and does not provide enough protections for business. "It is not the deal the government promised," Sir Keir adds. "A better deal could have been negotiated," the Labour leader continues. 17:05 UK document confirms so-called 'ratchet clause' isn't in deal "The Agreement's provisions in this area, implementing commitments made in the 2019 Political Declaration, were the subject of considerable controversy during the negotiations. "The EU was forced to drop its ambitious demands for dynamic alignment and for the UK to be legally required to maintain equivalent legislative systems to the EU’s in some areas. "The system that has been agreed upon does not compromise the UK's sovereignty in any area, does not involve the European Court of Justice in any way, and is reciprocal. "Both sides have the right to set their own laws, subject to the broad constraints of this Agreement in this area as in any other. "And both sides have the right, in certain constrained ways, and subject to arbitration, to take countermeasures if they believe they are being damaged by measures taken by the other Party in subsidy policy, labour and social policy, or climate and environment policy." 17:03 UK publishes official summary of deal 17:01 Analysis: Few experts believe UK will be a 'science superpower' after Brexit - but they will cautiously welcome the deal By Rowland Manthorpe, technology correspondent One huge yet generally overlooked consequence of Brexit was that it ended the legal basis for moving personal data between the UK and the European Union. In reality, the data tap was probably not going to be turned off overnight, but the legal problems for businesses could have been significant. The trade deal probably won't resolve this issue but it could provide a "platform" for a future arrangement on data (as well as a platform for future arguments). For that reason, today's announcement will be cautiously welcomed by the science and technology sectors, who also stand to benefit from government largesse under new state aid rules. Few, however, will see it as anything more than meagre compensation for leaving the EU. The prime minister said the UK could become a "science superpower" after Brexit. While they may feel relieved today, few scientists and technologists will believe that is very likely. 17:00 Speaker's letter to MPs about recall of Commons 16:56 Watch: A deal has been agreed, so what happens now? 16:51 Parliament to be recalled on 30 December to consider deal 16:50 Sir Keir Starmer news conference coming up We're due to hear from the Labour leader shortly. 16:50 EU Parliament leaders to meet on 28 December to discuss outcome of the negotiations 16:47 Analysis: The important questions are impossible to answer today By Sam Coates, deputy political editor In recent weeks, Boris Johnson has taken the country on a rollercoaster over Brexit: there was hope, followed by his irritation, steadfastness, stubbornness then culminating in what he wants to present as a Christmas Eve negotiating coup. A blizzard of claims of triumph against adversity, promises delivered and enormously complex arguments about negotiating wins against the EU. But today isn’t about him. Nor is it about the soap opera of the tortuous 11-month negotiation with Michel Barnier and his team. It’s actually all about voters who - rightly - are likely to be paying very little attention today. Ultimately, the UK-EU trade deal will be judged by the public on a broad set of criteria. Does this deal satisfy everyone who wanted the UK to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016? Does the British public think it means we have the freedom to do things it could not do as members of the EU - or not? Does it cause businesses and individuals difficulties in their dealings with the EU, or have sensible compromises been found? How easy will it be to live, work and deal with people across the Channel and the Irish sea? These questions are simply not possible to answer today. Britain has begun a journey away from the EU, and this is only the first step. The detail of the deal has not been seen, only the slogans. Only once it comes into force on 1 January, and businesses must follow its strictures and courts interpret its meaning will it start to have an impact. And only then can we truly know how good it is. 16:41 'Major promises broken': Sturgeon issues scathing statement Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has released a statement following news of a deal, after she earlier tweeted that "there is no deal that will ever make up for what Brexit takes away from us". "It beggars belief that in the midst of a pandemic and economic recession Scotland has been forced out of the EU Single Market and Customs Union with all the damage to jobs that will bring," she said. "A deal is better than no deal. But, just because, at the eleventh hour, the UK government has decided to abandon the idea of a no-deal outcome, it should not distract from the fact that they have chosen a hard Brexit, stripping away so many of the benefits of EU membership. "And while we do not yet have full details on the nature of the deal, it appears major promises made by the UK government on fisheries have been broken and the extent of these broken promises will become apparent to all very soon." She continued that the views of Scottish people had been "ignored" and the deal was a "far harder Brexit than could have been imagined when the EU referendum took place". 16:38 Analysis: Europe is breathing a sigh of relief By Adam Parsons, Europe correspondent The end of these negotiations just about summed up the whole process. Talks going through the night, food arriving via a pizza delivery man and deadlines slipping. A morning announcement ended up happening halfway through the afternoon, at a press conference called with about 15 minutes notice. And, of course, they talked about fishing right up to the last moment. Politically potent in the UK, significant in a few European countries, including France, but of very little interest to most of the European Union, the prominence of fishing seemed to sum up the unpredictability of this whole process. “If we lose a deal because of distant fishermen, it’ll be a pathetic outcome,” I was told last week, by a diplomat from a country with no prospect of sending boats to the English Channel. But now, fishing is sorted, a deal is done and Europe is breathing a sigh of relief. The overwhelming response I’ve had from contacts across the member states has been relief that talks have come to an end, and a desire to move on in two specific ways. Firstly, they want to move on to the EU’s real priorities - dealing with Covid, managing its budget and restoring fractures between its own members. But secondly the EU now wants to reset its relationship with the UK. I wouldn’t say that Brexit has caused animosity towards the British, but it has certainly strained trust. Now comes the process of rebuilding. Ursula von der Leyen quoted TS Eliot: “What we call the beginning is often the end and to make an end is to make a beginning”. It was a gentle call for both sides to start a new kind of relationship. The deal is done. The future comes next. 16:34 In full: Boris Johnson outlines deal with EU 16:33 Watch: Irish PM speaks to Sky News 16:32 Nigel Farage says deal is 'big step forwards' and he would vote for it 'in principle' Having campaigned for the UK to leave the EU for 30 years, Nigel Farage was at the forefront of the Brexit referendum and is leader of the Brexit Party. In an interview with Sky News he said the deal is "not perfect" and he fears "we're going to be too closely aligned to the EU rules" but he agreed that overall it is a "very, very big day and a big step forwards". Asked whether he would vote for the deal in parliament, Mr Farage would not be drawn on a firm answer and said he would "need to see the detail". But he acknowledged the huge divisions the referendum has caused across the country, adding: "If this brings some peace and some stability, then yes in principle I would [vote for the deal]." 16:28 New restrictions for haulage industry? "Cabotage” is when a trucker from the UK does extra trips having delivered cargo to another country. At the moment they can do three. In this deal, they can only do one - this is what this section seems to suggest: UK no longer participates in EU Single Market for transport services UK operators lose right to conduct unlimited cross-trade in the EU and up to three cabotage operations within the territory of a Single Member State Unlimited point-to-point access for hauliers carrying loads between the EU and the UK + full transit rights across each other’s territories Right to perform up to 2 extra operations in the other party’s territory (of which maximum 1 cabotage operation for UK hauliers) Provisions on working conditions, road safety and fair competition, on top of horizontal level playing field clauses on environment, social issues and competition 16:26 UK will continue to be members of a number of important science projects The deal says: "UK participates in 5 EU programmes open to third-country participation (subject to its financial contribution), namely: * Horizon Europe (research and innovation) * Euratom Research and Training programme * ITER (fusion test facility) * Copernicus (Earth monitoring system) * Access to EU satellite surveillance & tracking (SST) services 16:25 Confirmation of significant barriers for services in deal "UK service suppliers no longer benefit from the ‘country-of-origin’ approach or ‘passporting’ concept (e.g. for financial services), which enable automatic access to the entire EU Single Market," the agreement states. "No more automatic recognition of professional qualifications: Doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, vets, engineers or architects must have their qualifications recognised in each Member State they wish to practice in." 16:23 We're going through the fine print of the deal And we'll be sharing key sections and interesting titbits from the hundreds of pages of documents. On policing, there is confirmation of what some senior police officers have warned: The "UK no longer participates in or shapes rules of EU agencies for police and judicial cooperation (Europol, Eurojust) and no longer benefits from privileged cooperation amongst police and judicial authorities". Another point adds: "UK no longer has access to sensitive EU databases and networks that support the EU’s area of freedom, security and justice, such as SIS II." 16:17 Watch: Northern Ireland's first minister welcomes deal - but wants to 'see the detail' 16:13 French president: 'Europe moves forwards' after 'essential' deal struck Emmanuel Macron has tweeted about the agreement, saying that Europe's "unity and firmness have paid off". The French leader had been among the most critical of the EU leaders about the UK's exit, so it is crucial that he has welcomed the deal. 16:11 PM's message to Sir Keir Starmer Boris Johnson says his message to Labour would be: "The opposition should vote for this excellent deal and I would strongly encourage everybody to do the same." 16:10 PM on end of Erasmus scheme Boris Johnson says the decision to end the UK's participation in the Erasmus scheme was a "tough" one to take, but it was "extremely expensive". But he says the government will establish a UK scheme that will allow students to go "around the world". 16:07 Number 10 shares pictures of the moment Boris Johnson and EU leaders agreed a deal over Zoom 16:06 PM asked about security cooperation with EU "I'm absolutely confident this is a deal that protects our police cooperation and protects our ability to catch criminals and share intelligence across the European continent," Boris Johnson says when asked whether cooperation on security and policing could be impacted. "I don't think people should have fears on that score." 16:06 Analysis: Northern Ireland may be the biggest winner here By David Blevins, Ireland correspondent Having been front and centre of the Brexit negotiations for much of the last four years, Northern Ireland could be the biggest winner from this trade deal. To avoid a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, the EU and UK agreed to establish one in the Irish Sea, between NI and GB. In short, Northern Ireland alone remains in the EU Single Market for goods but retains unfettered access to Great Britain, "the best of both worlds". That makes Northern Ireland very attractive to international investors who want to trade into both Great Britain and the European Union. While a border in the Irish Sea is unpalatable politically to Unionists, this trade deal mitigates that to some extent and gives economic advantage. 16:03 PM asked how should people celebrate leaving the EU "I leave your manner of celebration entirely to you and to individual tastes," Boris Johnson says . "I think this government has done quite enough bossing people around and recommending this or that over the last 10 months or so." 16:03 All going swimmingly... PM wears tie adorned with fish In this photo shared by Number 10, Boris Johnson can be seen wearing a tie with small pictures of fish - apparently a nod to fishing being one of the main sticking points during negotiations. 15:58 Merkel 'confident of a good result' German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is "pleased" to see an agreement has been reached, calling it of "historic importance". "We will therefore be able to quickly assess whether Germany can support today's negotiation result. I am very confident that we have a good result here," she said, adding the German position will be agreed during a phone call at 9.30am on 28 December. "With the agreement, we are creating the basis for a new chapter in our relations. The United Kingdom will continue to be an important partner for Germany and for the European Union outside the European Union," she said. 15:58 PM asked what his message is to Remain voters Asked what his message would be to people who voted Remain in 2016, Boris Johnson says his message to those on both sides is that "I think it's a long time behind us". The prime minister adds that he thinks most people, regardless of how they voted, "just want it settled and for us to move on". 15:54 PM: UK's relationship with EU was 'always difficult' Asked about Nigel Farage's comment that the "war is over" now that there is a deal, Boris Johnson says: "The EU was and is an extraordinary concept born out of the agony of the Second World War. "In many ways it was and is a very noble enterprise. "I don't recognise the kind of language that you talk of." The prime minister says the UK's relationship with the EU was "always difficult". "I think that what we've got here is the basis of a new long-term friendship and partnership that basically stabilises that relationship." 15:53 PM 'bullish, jubilant and seemingly across the detail' Sky's political correspondent Kate McCann asks whether the deal could help boost Boris Johnson's leadership after repeated criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. 15:48 PM asked about potential for short-term disruption after 1 January Asked by Sky's Sam Coates if there will be no short-term disruption, Boris Johnson says there will be "things we have to get right" and processes that people will need to be aware of. Delivering a message to the public watching, after apologising for "disturbing Cars 3 by the way", the prime minister says "it's one thing to get freedom...but it's how we use it, how we make the most of it, that's what's going to matter". He says the agreement will lead to a relationship that is "stable and prosperous for both sides". 15:46 'Sensible trade deal was always the most favourable outcome': Northern Ireland first minister Arlene Foster has become the final leader of the devolved nations to react to the announcement of a deal, sharing a statement on Twitter. "We have consistently urged both sides to achieve a deal," she wrote. "We will, of course, examine the details both of the trade deal itself as well as other issues such as security where agreement will be particularly important from the Northern Ireland viewpoint. "Given the government’s Northern Ireland Protocol, a sensible trade deal between the United Kingdom and the European Union was always the most favourable outcome for Northern Ireland. "Moving forward, we will continue to work to seize the opportunities and address the challenges which arise from the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union." 15:44 PM rejects charge he is not being upfront about terms of deal Asked if he is mis-selling his deal, Boris Johnson rejects the assertion and says that while "change" is coming for businesses, they now have the whole world open to them. "This is a jumbo Canada-style free trade deal," the prime minister says. "I'm not going to claim this is a cakeist treaty, but I think this is what the country needs at this time." 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