Apart from the passionate few, I realise that you are all fed up with hearing about Brexit. But as it is going to impact all of our lives, I would be failing in my duties if I did not provide occasional updates.
Last Friday, after tough negotiations, the Prime Minister pulled off a deal that sets us up for a sensible Brexit. We are not there yet, but the negotiators can now move on to grapple with the future “deep and special relationship” with our European partners.
The UK will leave the EU on 29th March 2019. There will be a two year period in which we will remain in the single market. This is necessary to give time for the new arrangements to be negotiated and to give our businesses (the firms which create employment for 83% of all of us) the certainty they crave.
The rights of 3 million EU citizens living and working here will be broadly as they are now. They can carry on living and working and making such a rich contribution to our society. Similarly the one million Brits living and working abroad will have the same rights and entitlements as now.
There will not be a hard border between Southern and Northern Ireland, or between NI and the rest of the UK. This still requires additional work to thrash out the practical arrangements on the ground, but the principles are clear.
The UK will discharge all of its financial obligations to the EU, relating to commitments we have already entered into and pension arrangements, such payments to be spread over many years and expected to total no more than £39 billion. This will include payments during the two year transition phase.
When the transition phase is over in March 2021, what happens then? That is still to be negotiated. We have made clear we will leave the single market. Free movement will come to an end. We want to negotiate a trade deal with the EU that will give our businesses “frictionless” access to the single market, without paying tariffs or enduring customs delays. That is what we now have to negotiate.
I am confident of a successful final deal. Parliament will have the final say next year. There will still be loads of stuff in the media every day (yawn) but we are getting there. It will be alright. So now you can switch off and forget about Brexit.