British Parliament votes to approve Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal

Britain's newly-elected parliament has given its initial backing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit divorce deal with the European Union.

MPs voted 358 to 234 - a majority of 124 - in favour of the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill in the House of Commons yesterday. The Bill will now go for further scrutiny in Parliament. 

The bill would also ban an extension of the transition period - during



which the UK is out of the EU but follows many of its rules - past 2020. The UK PM said the country was now "one step closer to getting Brexit done".

Mr Johnson insists a trade deal with the EU can be in place by the end of the transition period, but critics say this timescale is unrealistic. The government says it will get the bill into law in time for the 31 January Brexit deadline.