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| Brexit: MEPs approve withdrawal agreement after emotional debate and claims UK will return - 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 |
| MEPs have voted overwhelmingly to approve the withdrawal agreement, clearing one of the last remaining hurdles in the process that will see the UK leave the EU on Friday night. The outcome of the vote was never in doubt, but the debate was nevertheless at times passionate and moving. Nigel Farage was reprimanded by the chair after he and fellow Brexit party MEPs waved mini union jacks after his speech, in which he denounced the EU as anti-democratic, before some of them left en masse for the bar. But most British MEPs who spoke expressed deep sadness about Brexit, with many of them predicting that one day the UK would decide to return. (See 4.37pm, 5.01pm, 5.04pm, 5.09pm and 5.16pm for some examples.) This marks a contrast with Westminster, where there is almost no one arguing publicly that Brexit will be reversed. Jess Phillips floated this idea briefly, stepped back within 24 hours, and is now out of the Labour leadership contest for good. | |
| Boris Johnson has said he will celebrate Brexit on Friday in a “respectful” way. Speaking during his “People’s PMQs” on Facebook, in response to a question about he would mark Brexit on Friday, he said: | |
| Rebecca Long-Bailey has received the third union nomination she needs to be guaranteed a place on the final ballot of members for the Labour leadership. (See 5.24pm.) The final nomination came from the Fire Brigades Union. | |
| The Scottish government has narrowly won a vote to keep the EU flag flying over the Edinburgh parliament building after Brexit, despite being accused of undermining the impartial status of Holyrood’s governing body. | |
| Boris Johnson has lavished praise on Donald Trump’s vision for Middle East peace, after Jeremy Corbyn criticised the plan for failing to gain the support of any Palestinians. | |
| Boris Johnson is facing a possible rebellion over his decision to allow China’s Huawei to build part of Britain’s 5G infrastructure. | |
| The British government is urgently pressing Beijing to allow dual nationals to leave China after public outcry over families being split up during the coronavirus evacuations. | |
| The future of the privatised rail system was thrown into further doubt on Wednesday as the government announced the renationalisation of the struggling Northern rail franchise. | |
| That’s all from me for today. And for the rest of the week, I’m afraid, because I’m away for the next two days. | |
| Thanks for the comments. | |
| Here are some quotes from the European parliament debate. | Here are some quotes from the European parliament debate. |
| From Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator | From Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator |
| From Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European commission | From Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European commission |
| From Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader | From Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader |
| From Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator | From Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator |
| Here is video of MEPs signing Auld Lang Syne. | Here is video of MEPs signing Auld Lang Syne. |
| This week’s Guardian Politics Weekly podcast is out. Heather Stewart rings in the end of an era as Brexit seems all but done. She chats to Jennifer Rankin, Andrew Fisher and James Kirkup about what Britain will look like after 31 January. Plus, the panel discuss whether the Labour leadership candidates are focusing on the right issues. | This week’s Guardian Politics Weekly podcast is out. Heather Stewart rings in the end of an era as Brexit seems all but done. She chats to Jennifer Rankin, Andrew Fisher and James Kirkup about what Britain will look like after 31 January. Plus, the panel discuss whether the Labour leadership candidates are focusing on the right issues. |
| From the BBC’s Scotland editor, Sarah Smith | From the BBC’s Scotland editor, Sarah Smith |
| From Jaume Duch, spokesperson for the European parliament | From Jaume Duch, spokesperson for the European parliament |
| David Sassoli, president of the parliament, says MEPs have voted to approve the withdrawal agreement. Now the European council must conclude the formalities tomorrow. | David Sassoli, president of the parliament, says MEPs have voted to approve the withdrawal agreement. Now the European council must conclude the formalities tomorrow. |
| 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. | 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. |
| MEPs have approved the withdrawal agreement by 621 votes to 49. | MEPs have approved the withdrawal agreement by 621 votes to 49. |
| Now MEPs are singing Auld Lang Syne. | Now MEPs are singing Auld Lang Syne. |
| MEPs are now taking the vote. | MEPs are now taking the vote. |
| Barnier has switched to English for his final comment. | Barnier has switched to English for his final comment. |
| He says, at this moment of new beginning, he would like to wish the UK well. | He says, at this moment of new beginning, he would like to wish the UK well. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| He thanks the contribution made by British MEPs. | He thanks the contribution made by British MEPs. |