Brexit transition: UK bows to pressure from Brussels in EU 'WALKOVER', legal expert claims

Michel Barnier and David Davis described the deal as a “decisive step” that will lead to the “orderly withdrawal” of the UK, and agreed the transitional period will last from 29 March 2019 to December 2020 - but some issues, including the Irish border, remain unresolved.

But legal expert David Allen Green has hit out at the agreement, calling it a “walkout”.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Other than on Ireland, which EU27 rightly sees as UK's issue to solve, the EU appears to have prevailed on every substantial point.”

He slammed the proposal saying it meant the UK was essentially staying in the EU, calling it a “Brexit in name only, where the UK is technically not a member of the EU but almost everything else stays the same.”

Adding it is “a Brexit which is entirely on the EU’s terms.”

Mr Allen also savaged the agreement saying that it could have been signed last summer, “given it is more of less just what the EU demanded in its April 2017 guidelines”.

Open Britain also criticised the agreement saying the agreement has broken seven promises made by the Government.

The promises they claim will be broken are the end of free movement, taking back control of fisheries, a two year implementation period, the UK won’t pay money to the EU after March 2019, the transition period will be about ‘implementing’ the future relationship, not negotiating it, the UK won’t have to abide by EU rules during the transition period and that the UK’s new trade deals will be able to come into fore when we leave in March 2019.

The proposed deal will also include a “backstop” option to avoid a hard border in Ireland - which would include Northern Ireland saying in the customs union - and will be included in the Brexit treaty unless another solution is found.

The agreement comes more than two weeks after Prime Minister Theresa May rejected the EU’s draft agreement.

The fine details of the 120-page agreement are yet to be released, but terms agreed also include a multi-billion pound divorce bill, confirmation that Britain is able to ratify deals during the transition period, the 21 months transition period (not the rumoured two years) and sets out the position on Britain’s waters.

An agreement on EU citizen’s rights also seemed to fly in the face of Theresa May’s previous position when she insisted EU citizens who arrive after Brexit in March 2019 would not get the same rights as those already here.

But today, Mr Barnier said: “British citizens and European citizens of the 27 who arrive during the transition period will receive the same rights guaranteed to those who arrived before the day of Brexit.”

David Davis said he hopes negotiations on trade and the UK’s future relationship with the EU can start “as soon as possible”.