India  

European Parliament pass withdrawal deal in Brussels

Video Credit: Reuters Studio - Duration: 02:00s - Published
European Parliament pass withdrawal deal in Brussels

European Parliament pass withdrawal deal in Brussels

The EU ratifies the Brexit withdrawal agreement paving the way for UK's departure from the bloc on Friday.

Freddy Tennyson reports.

Voting overwhelmingly in its favour - European Lawmakers signed off on Wednesday - a deal 3 and a half years in the making.

The deal sees the UK saying Au Revoir to the bloc it's been a part of since 1973.

At midnight on Friday (January 31) Brussels time, Britain will be out.

It was the last vote for the UK's 73 MEPs.

Afterwards the chamber broke into singing Auld Lang Syne, a traditional Scottish song to bid farewell.

The session saw MEP's both slam and celebrate the bloc in what was at times highly emotional.

UK Greens MEP Molly Scott Cato - (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH MEP MOLLY SCOTT CATO SAYING: "Now is not the time to campaign to rejoin, but we must keep the dream alive.

Especially, for young people who are overwhelmingly pro-European.

I hold in my heart that I will one day be back in this chamber celebrating our return to the heart of Europe.

Thank you" But it wasn't all words of friendship - UK MEP and architect of the vote leave campaign, Nigel Farage.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH MEP NIGEL FARAGE SAYING: ''There's a historic battle going on now across the West, in Europe, America and elsewhere.

It's globalism against populism and you may loathe populism but I tell you one thing it's becoming very popular.

It has great benefits.

No more financial contributions, no more European Court of Justice, no more common fisheries policies, no more being bullied" But if MEP's were hoping this goodbye was an end to the years of wrangling of what the future UK/EU relationship will look like - they would be sorely mistaken.

With a transition period running until year-end - for now there won't be any changes but fresh talks - covering everything from trade to security.

So for the moment- everything stays the same - Just without the Union Jacks hanging in Strasbourg and Brussels.




You Might Like