EU Parliament Backs Brexit Deal, Clearing Way for U.K. Departure
- Vote means U.K. can leave on Jan. 31 with withdrawal agreement
- Britain’s Brexit saga began after the U.K. referendum in 2016
A cyclist crosses Westminster Bridge in view of the Houses of Parliament in London.
Photographer: Hollie Adams/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The European Parliament approved Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, clearing the way for the U.K. to leave the EU on Jan. 31 with an agreement that, for the time being, will avoid a chaotic rupture.
Officials on both sides say the fight over the divorce deal was the easy part. Over the next 11 months, the U.K. and the European Union will argue over the terms of their future relationship, which could be even tougher than the negotiations that began after Britain voted to leave in June 2016.