NewsHero (beta) - Brexit Deal Reached, Johnson Still Needs Parliament Support
October 19, 2019 Issue 2
Welcome to NewsHero beta for October 19, 2019. Thank you for joining us.
Brexit Deal Reached, Johnson Still Needs Parliament Support
Fears of violence in Northern Ireland feature in agreement talks
Image: Sky News
The EU and Britain agreed on a Brexit deal Thursday, though Prime Minister Boris Johnson must now face British Parliament in a struggle to garner enough votes for his plan, following three turbulent years of debate.
Speaking at a news conference in Brussels, Johnson told reporters the agreement "represents a very good deal for both the EU and U.K.” and that he hoped lawmakers would "come together to get Brexit done, to get this excellent deal over the line.”
Shortly after the announcement in Brussels, Johnson’s Northern Irish allies said they would not vote for the deal when it is put to the House of Commons on Saturday. Under the terms of the agreement, Northern Ireland would remain legally part of U.K. customs territory, but would stay closely aligned with European rules and regulations, involving customs checks between Britain and Northern Ireland.
Worries of a return to violence in Northern Ireland have been a major hurdle for EU and U.K. officials trying to reach a deal. More than 3,500 people have been killed in Northern Ireland over the past three decades, and many lawmakers say they won’t vote for the deal over the Irish border issue.
Securing and monitoring the Irish border in an effort to thwart fraud and smuggling could exacerbate tensions between those who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the U.K. and those who want it to be reunited with the Republic of Ireland.
