Landmark Brexit bill for UKs divorce from EU gets Commons nod

London British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons determined bid for UKs divorce from the European Union got a major boost when the governments Brexit Bill comfortably cleared the House of Commons signalling that the country would quit the economic bloc on January 31The Commons voted 330 to 231 on Thursday in favour of the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill and it will now pass to the House of Lords for further scrutiny on MondayThe Brexit Bill passed its third reading in the Commons with a majority of 99 for Prime Minister Johnson who had won a landslide election last month with a promise to leave the 28member economic bloc by the latest endJanuary deadlineIt marks a historic moment for the bill which has been repeatedly defeated in Parliament in its various forms in the past creating parliamentary gridlock over Brexit The bill will now go to the House of Lords on Monday for voting before royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II to become lawThe bill covers divorce payments to the EU citizens rights customs arrangements for Northern Ireland and the planned 11month transition periodIt is my sincere hope that their lordships will now give due regard to the clear majorities we have seen during the committee stage and establish their endorsement of this bill in a similar timely fashion said UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay after the Commons voteThis bill will secure our departure from the European union with a deal that gives certainty to businesses protects the rights of our citizens and ensures that we regain control of our money our borders our laws and our trade policy he saidIt took only three days for the bill to pass the remaining stages in the House of Commons after lawmakers gave their initial approval to the legislation before the Christmas recess Theresa May Johnsons predecessor repeatedly failed to get her Brexit agreement approved by the lawmakers which led to her resignation as prime minister last yearThe latest vote gives approval to the 11month transition period after January 31 in which the UK will cease to be an EU member but will continue to follow its rules and contribute to its budget the BBC reported The purpose of the transition period is to give time for the UK and EU to negotiate their future relationship including a trade deal it saidMeanwhile Johnson kickstarted the process for achieving a new trade agreement with the EU when he met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Downing Street on Wednesday eveningHe wants to strike a Canadastyle free trade agreement FTA with the bloc post Brexit However Von der Leyen who took over from Jean Claude Juncker last year has warned that it would not be possible to sort out every aspect of Britains future relationship with the EU before the December 31 2020 transition period deadlineIn a statement released after the first facetoface meeting between Johnson and the new EU President 10 Downing Street said the discussions had been positiveThe PM Johnson was clear that the UK would not extend the Implementation Period beyond December 31 2020 and that any future partnership must not involve any kind of alignment or ECJ European Court of Justice jurisdiction the statement notedThe PM said the UK was ready to start negotiations on the future partnership and Canadastyle FTA as soon as possible after January 31 it addedCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates