This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
'Not adieu, only au revoir' - Verhofstadt predicts UK will rejoin as MEPs vote on Brexit agreement: live news
Brexit: MEPs approve withdrawal agreement after emotional debate and claims UK will return - live news
(32 minutes later)
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
Back in the European parliament Martin Horwood, a Lib Dem MEP, says, in various European languages, before ending in English, “we will be back.”
From the BBC’s Scotland editor, Sarah Smith
Turning away from the debate in the European parliament for a moment, Rebecca Long-Bailey has now secured the third nomination she needs from a Labour affiliate organisation to ensure that she will be on the final ballot for party members. The final nomination came from the Fire Brigades Union.
From Jaume Duch, spokesperson for the European parliament
That means she, Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy are now all guaranteed a place on the final ballot. Emily Thornberry is still struggling to get the nominations she needs.
David Sassoli, president of the parliament, says MEPs have voted to approve the withdrawal agreement. Now the European council must conclude the formalities tomorrow.
In a statement Long-Bailey said:
He quotes Jo Cox, the Labour MP murdered by a far-right terrorist during the referendum campaign. There is more that united us than divides us, he says.
Vangelis Meimarakis, a Greek MEP, says the EU must ensure that this does not become a historic mistake for the EU. It must learn from what caused Brexit.
MEPs have approved the withdrawal agreement by 621 votes to 49.
Theresa Griffin, a Labour MEP, says young people should “keep the faith that one day we will come back”.
Now MEPs are singing Auld Lang Syne.
Esther de Lange, a Dutch MEP and member of the EPP group, says Boris Johnson did not really care what happened with Brexit. But she says the vote is an example of what happens when the media does not tell the truth. She says democracy needs defending; that is the lesson that needs to be taken from Brexit.
MEPs are now taking the vote.
Laura Huhtasaari, a Finnish MEP, says Friday will be a great moment. It will strike a blow against corporate elites. She ends by telling the Brexit party MEPs: “I love you guys.”
Barnier has switched to English for his final comment.
Aileen McLeod, an SNP MEP, says she will vote against the withdrawal agreement, in accordance with the wishes of the Scottish people. She ends by saying she hopes the parliament will “leave a light on for Scotland”.
He says, at this moment of new beginning, he would like to wish the UK well.
Luisa Porritt, a Lib Dem MEP, says she will vote against the withdrawal agreement on behalf of hyer London constituents who voted remain. She says the only person celebrating this outside the UK are people who want to damage the country. She says young Brits will one day lead the campaign to rejoin.
Barnier says it is possible to be a European over and above being a patriot. That can give additional force to national patriotism, he says.
Anthea McIntyre, a Conservative, says she speaks as the proud daughter of a solider who fought at D-Day. The UK may be leaving the EU, but we remain Europeans, she says.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, is concluding the debate. He says it has been a moving debate. The EU respected the UK vote to leave, he says.
Molly Scott Cato, the Green party MEP, starts her speech by saying that she feels she is about to cry. Now is not the time to campaign to return to rejoin the EU, she says. But she says it is important to keep the hope alive. She ends:
He thanks the contribution made by British MEPs.
As she finishes she gets emotional and tearful. She gets a loud and long standing ovation. It is a moving moment.
Back in the European parliament Naomi Long, the Alliance MEP from Northern Ireland, says she will vote against the withdrawal agreement. That is to express her constituents’ opposition to Brexit. She says she will never agree with this “insular, isolationist and reckless course of action”. But she says she wants to thank Michel Barnier for ensuring that the withdrawal does not involve a hard Brexit.
She ends by saying she expects Brexit to be reversed. “Goodbye for now,” she says.
Fishing communities fear they will be “sold out” in Brexit negotiations and do not believe government promises that the UK will take back control of British waters, representatives of coastal communities have said.
Many believe the sector will be used as leverage in the upcoming talks and are concerned that Boris Johnson’s government will buckle under pressure to make a trade off for other sectors including financial services.
“There is a real genuine danger that they will be sold out and are facing into this with a fair degree of scepticism,” said Luke Pollard the shadow environment secretary at a parliamentary event organised by the fishing industry this afternoon.
He was speaking a day after the government vowed that the automatic right of EU vessels to fish in British waters would be ended under proposals for a new fishing law.
Matt Carthy, a Sinn Fein, says much work remains to be done to in the trade talks. He says Sinn Fein will protect Ireland’s interests, which could be best served by Irish reunification. He says the Conservatives do not have a mandate to speak for any part of the island of Ireland.
Antonia Maria Rinaldi, an Italian MEP from the rightwing League, says Michel Barnier has been the worst negotiator ever.
Bill Newton Dunn, a Lib Dem MEP, says the main parties in Westminster have not told the public the truth about the country. The truth is that the UK is a European country, not a superpower.
He says some UK politicians claimed the EU was only about free trade. But it was not, he says. It was always about more than that.
He ends by calling for the establishment of a European FBI.
The vice president of the parliament chairing this afternoon’s session Mairead McGuinness, not Martina Anderson, as I wrongly stated earlier. I’m sorry about that.
Geoffrey Van Orden, the leader of Conservative MEPs, says it is in the interests of both sides to get a good trade deal. After Brexit the UK will still be a leading power in Europe. He says he wants the UK and the EU to have friendly relationship.
