"Where there's a will, there's a way," European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker declared on Thursday.
Somehow, some way, the United Kingdom has finally reached a Brexit deal with the EU, just two weeks before the deadline to leave the bloc. You can read the full revised withdrawal agreement below, which notably addresses a new plan for the Irish backstop.
?????????? Where there is a will, there is a #deal - we have one! It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions. I recommend that #EUCO endorses this deal. pic.twitter.com/7AfKyCZ6k9
— Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) October 17, 2019
The Brexit deal:https://t.co/FFQeMr5ARO pic.twitter.com/m2Alumxs3o
— European Commission ???? (@EU_Commission) October 17, 2019
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was just as pleased to confirm the news on Twitter.
We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control — now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment #GetBrexitDone #TakeBackControl
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 17, 2019
The announcement allows many Brits to breathe again. It seemed like a no-deal Brexit was becoming more and more likely, with no one - certainly no one in Parliament - quite knowing how it would disrupt Brits' daily lives.
Parliament still needs to approve the document. They haven't been thrilled with previous attempts at a deal. Former Prime Minister Theresa May's offering was rejected an historic three times. And the Democratic Unionist Party has already vowed to oppose it. But, Johnson is so confident in the revised text, that, as you can see above, he's ready to move on to other issues. If all goes well, the UK will leave the EU as scheduled on October 31.
Parliament plans to vote on the deal this Saturday.