Earlier this afternoon, Theresa May in a brief statement made outside No 10 Downing Street hailed the EU draft agreement on post-Brexit relations as “right for the whole of the UK”.
Prime minister May stated that the political declaration – outlining how trade, security and other issues will work – had been “agreed in principle”.
The prime minister is making a statement to MP’s on the agreement in parliament as we publish.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls immediately welcomed the step towards withdrawal agreement saying:
“This is a positive step forward for businesses looking for stability and clarity in order to plan their investment.
“Hospitality operators need to know they will have the reassurances provided by a deal. It cannot be stressed enough that a no deal Brexit would present the sector with severe problems and would have a serious impact on confidence. This agreement demonstrates a clear alignment on a direction of travel.
“This crucial step in securing a Brexit withdrawal agreement will provide much-needed confidence that a no deal scenario will be avoided.”