European Parliament approves Brexit agreement | BBC English News | Everyday Big News

European Parliament approves Brexit agreement

Now I know it's been all but inevitable but for the first time, I can say to you that Brexit is definitely happening that's because the European Parliament has voted to approve the EU and the UK's withdrawal deal the vote was 61 to 49 so not at all close the UK.

Will now definitely leave the European UnionUK time on Friday that's midnight in Brussels as soon as the result was announced many members of the European Parliament broke into the song,

So an unlikely rendition of auld Langsine that's the Scottish folk song those of you don't know it but those most for you well and of course it recalls happy days gone by now for a lot of those people singing the happy days in terms of the UK's relationship with the EU is in the past.

Today is not a day that they're celebrating the same definitely can't be true said for the Brexit Party leader Nigel Faraj,

I know you want to ban our national flags but we're gonna wave you goodbye and we'll look forward to the future to working with you as sovereign if you disobey the rules you get cut off could we please remove the flags that were the Parliament vice-president cutting off Nigel Farage's microphone,

And she explained why a little bit afterward the rule in this house is no flags I'm Irish I knowI'm Irish I don't need to wave my flag to prove it and in the fact what was rather sad was that he did wonder what I asked him todo I asked him to leave the chamber with his flags,

And they went outside I wish they'd listened to the debates the sadness of many, not just British colleagues because Nigel Farage has worked for this for 20 odd years.

I think he said he's still nothing else in this house he hasn't worked to the European MEP.

 He worked to destroy Europe and he succeeded but we're not going to let him win he may have won the war but we've got a bigger the battle to fight also heard from the President of the European Commission.

We will miss but we will always keep up our friendship with you and you can count on us as we know that we can count on.

You know if said there are a few times but let's remember the deal that passed the day only focuses on the UK'swithdrawal from the European Union the future relationship between the UK,

And the EU well that is all still to come let's hear from the BBC's Adam Fleming in Brussels on some of the hurdles that both sides will have to clear the EU at the moment is getting their mandate ready which is the detailed blueprint.

They'll give to their chief negotiator Michel Barnier to then start the negotiations with the UK I hear they're thinking about 12 negotiating streams that will cover things like trade security cooperation within the EU security cooperation in the wider world.

Scientific research the mobility of people a whole load of areas but the first thing they will have to agree with the UK and I think they'll probably start talking about in the next couple of weeks is just how the talks are going to work.

Here they call it modalities they will have to discuss what areas to prioritize because the EU is not convinced that all the areas that need to be covered can be addressed in the short time available in the transition period,

So I think there might be a bit of an argument over what areas are prioritized there will be a discussion about how intense the negotiations should be how many rounds there should be where they should take place.

Who will be a whose opposite number either side of the table and then the EU I think will insist on putting in lots of milestones into the negotiations for example getting the UK to sign up to these commitments about fair economic a competition which is badged as the level the playing field,

And also getting a deal on British waters were open to European fishing boats getting those things in a place to unlock the negotiations on all the other stuff.

And as we learned from the first phase of the Brexit of the divorce negotiations all those buildings blocks for the process and those decisions made at the start can have huge ramifications further down the line so that's coming down the track Adam.

let's look at the immediate Friday is anything gonna happens at midnight very little is going to happen here in Brussels they want it to be an incredibly low key the thing that sort of happens in the legal ether with no cheers or tears,

And that is why today the European Parliament those scenes you saw the MEP slinking arms to singing auld langsyne that's because that's why that was such a big deal because that felt like the goodbye party for the UK because of all that's gonna happen on Fridays.

We'll get a joint statement from the three presidents of the institution's Ursula Van der Leyen from the Commission Charles Michelle from the European A council which represents the Member States

and the President of the European Parliament and then at some point just after midnight the one solitary British a flag will be lowered outside the European Parliament and taken

to be put in a museum and I'll be there to see that flag coming down because of tomorrow this time tomorrow we'll be live in Brussels as we buildup to Brexit happening,

Evening through Friday with the help of Kathy K and Christian Fraser in London now as I'm sure you know Brexit has also put Scottish independence right back on the agendas in the Scottish Parliament.

Today voted 64 to 54 in favor of holding a new referendum on this issue berry mine there was already a the referendum on independence in 2014 and Scottish people voted to stay in the UK but the argument of the Scottish government is that Brexit means the circumstances have fundamentally changed since.

Then here'sFirst Minister Nicola Sturgeon a week from losing ODU membership,

And all of the rates that go with it in my view is beyond don't know that the only realistic way for Scotland to return to the heart of Europe and ensure that we get the government's we vote for is to become an independent country but Nicola Sturgeon the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to call this referendum that lies with the British government in Westminster.

And Prime Minister Boris Johnson has very clearly ruled out granting a new vote let's see if my Scotland correspondent corner Gordon it is nonetheless a symbolic debate it is a significant debate on in this ongoing the constitutional standoff

And that relationship with the EU he, of course, a majority of people who voted here in Scotland voted to remain as part of the EU and Nicola Sturgeon referenced

that relationship with the EU in her opening remarks her political opponents have called this a political stunt and a distraction but it is as.

I said earlier symbolic itis not likely to lead to anything at this point but it is another step in this constitutional argument and Nicola Sturgeon says she will make a speech on Friday setting out the next steps in her campaign to secure another referendum on Scotland's future.