Yahoo Sports Brexit deal – live: Leavers revel in ‘victory’ as Johnson tells hardliners deal will stand up to scrutiny
Nigel Farage joined other prominent Brexiteers revelling in Britain’s exit from the EU, following an historic deal reached between London and Brussels on Thursday.
The former Brexit Party leader, who proved instrumental in Britain’s momentous 2016 vote to leave the bloc, claimed the deal meant “victory” for “ordinary men and women”.
Ambassadors from the EU's 27 nations convened on Christmas Day to start assessing the free trade deal, which takes effect in just a week.
At Friday's exceptional meeting, the EU delegations asked for more time to study the texts before sending them to lawmakers at the European Parliament, according to an EU diplomat. The ambassadors are expected to meet again on Monday.
But the fishing industry said it had been sacrificed by the UK government in its desperation to strike an agreement.
Barrie Deas, head of the National Federation of Fisherman’s Organisations, said there would be “frustration and anger” at the “significant concessions” agreed by the government.
Under the deal announced on Thursday, there would be a five-year transition period after which EU catch in British waters would be reduced by 25 per cent, compared to the 60 per cent the UK was asking for as recently as last week.
