A trade deal has finally been reached between the UK and the EU, Number 10 said "everything that the British public was promised during the 2016 referendum and in the general election last year is delivered"
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it had been a "long and winding road" but striking a deal was the "right and responsible thing to do". She says the UK and EU will continue to stand "shoulder to shoulder"
As the UK leaves the single market and customs union on 31 December, new arrangements allowing for tariff-free trade in goods and close police and judicial cooperation will come into force.
The announcement followed a final call between Boris Johnson in Downing Street and the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, in her Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels – at least the fifth such telephone conversation over the last 24 hours according to The Guardian
The trade agreement – running to 2,000 pages – is unprecedented in scope, containing provisions on subjects varying from civil nuclear cooperation and energy interconnections to fishing and aviation.
Parliament will still have to ratify the deal, it is thought they will be recalled from the Christmas break o 30th December.
Yesterday the UK government told the agricultural industry that the EU will allow almost all food and plant exports from Great Britain to continue after Brexit. Almost all reports the BBC.
"Whereas the ongoing export of Ware potatoes for eating is confirmed, seed potatoes will be banned."
The seed potato industry is focused in the north of England and Scotland.
Responding to the news, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "This is a disastrous Brexit outcome for Scottish farmers...and like all other aspects of Brexit, foisted on Scotland against our will."
Meanwhile, more than 6,000 trucks are still waiting in the Kent region to make the crossing to France, but it is a slow progress due to the negative test results required for the crossing. The test locations do not seem to be present in the port itself, but in the emergency parking areas for trucks.
British supermarkets will still have a shortage of fresh fruit and vegetables from the European mainland in the coming days, so German Lufthansa has started an airlift to get 80 tons of fresh fruit and vegetables in the UK.
The Dutch drivers seem to be having more luck crossing on the ferries to Harwich, among others..