Johnson signed the agreement in Downing Street in front of European and British Foreign Office officials who had brought it from Brussels. "The signing of the withdrawal agreement is a fantastic moment, which finally delivers the result of the 2016 referendum and brings to an end far too many years of argument and division," Johnson said in a statement. The former Belgian premier, whose council represents EU member governments, added, in French: "I'm keen to write this new page together." Most experts regard the idea that London and Brussels could agree a comprehensive free trade agreement in that time as ambitious. And a comprehensive free trade agreement of the type the EU has signed with Canada could take years to negotiate.

Source: Punch January 24, 2020 18:12 UTC