ON March 29 2019 the United Kingdom leaves the European Union. I know that most people are bored of Brexit.

They would much rather we were talking about jobs and homes and schools and roads and hospitals. The end is in sight. We do leave in March.

But in leaving, we are untangling 40 years of laws and trading arrangements. So for two years we will have an implementation period when we will agree our future trade deal with the EU.

In order to give businesses certainty and protect people’s jobs the Prime Minister has negotiated a deal which will govern our relationship with the EU until we have settled our free trade arrangement. It is that deal which is the focus of debate now.

The deal is not forever. It simply gets us through our trade negotiations. It remains the case that we will control our own borders and end free movement.

We stop sending huge sums of money to Brussels and we take back control of our laws. And we do so whilst protecting jobs. Naturally a 585 page agreement is bound to

contain things which some people are concerned about, but as I say it is not forever.

If we reject this deal we will go back to square one. I am not prepared to gamble with other people’s jobs by doing that. The public expects us to get on with the job of leaving and that is what we are doing.

We have let this issue be a source of division in our country for too long. Now is the time to come together. It is time to get on with it.