Brexit deal proves May is firing on all cylinders

In a major breakthrough for the Prime Minister, the European Commission agreed to recommend the start of trade talks with Britain.

Theresa May described the deal – which comes after six months of complex negotiations – as 'a hard-won agreement in all our interests', while European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said 'sufficient progress' had been made for negotiations to move on to the second phase.

Mrs May and Brexit Secretary David Davis flew to Brussels in the early hours of yesterday morning to confirm with Mr Juncker the text of joint proposals on the key divorce issues of citizens' rights, the Irish border and Britain's exit bill.

It came as sources said the UK's Brexit divorce bill will come to around £35-£40 billion.

The announcement of the agreement appears to have appeased pro-Remain MPs and Brexiteers in the Tory party.

Anna Soubry – a staunch critic of the Government's handling of the negotiations up to now – said: "This is an important moment because it is a move in the right direction to a much more sensible, softer Brexit."

And Eurosceptic Stone MP Sir Bill Cash, who is chair of the European Scrutiny Committee, said the deal was 'a step in the right direction'.

"This is a very substantial landmark and I am glad that we are now ready to move onto the next stage," he added.

"However, further analysis is needed over issues such as the role of the courts, and this will take place in through my committee in due course."

Margot James, the Conservative MP for Stourbridge and Small Business Minister, said that businesses would 'welcome greater certainty' about a trade deal, and added that it was 'really good to hear the guarantee of full rights for EU citizens here and UK citizens elsewhere in EU'.

Walsall North's Tory MP Eddie Hughes congratulated the Prime Minister on the deal, saying it proved she was 'firing on all cylinders'.

He added: "We are leaving the customs union, will control our own borders and be able to sign our own trade deals.

"And if we don’t get a good trade deal with the EU then our offer to pay will fall away too.

"I think we should celebrate this progress."

Pat McFadden, the pro-Remain Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East, said: "I think it is good that the Government has reached a deal on phase one.

"However, to do that they have had to give way on the the divorce bill. That's going to cost the taxpayer billions and was never mentioned during the referendum campaign.

"Ireland was also largely ignored during the referendum but has proven to be a very important issue in these talks and it should have been taken more seriously all along.

"I think phase one has been a process of reality dawning on Government ministers. Even though they are now over that phase, the hard part starts now."

Mike Wood, the pro-Brexit Conservative MP for Dudley South, criticised Labour MPs who said the deal would never happen. "The Prime Minister has secured a deal that is very much in our favour and has avoided the EU's demands to pay an arbitrary figure for a divorce payment," he said.

"This is great news and we can now move onto the next stage of the negotiations and concentrate on taking back control of our country."

Aldridge-Brownhills' Conservative MP Wendy Morton, said: "This shows the great perseverance of the Prime Minister and her fantastic ability to get on with the job in hand."