Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the deal with the European Union will “protect jobs across this country” and has “taken back control of our laws and our destiny”, in an announcement from Downing Street.
He also said the agreement reached with Brussels was a “good deal for the whole of Europe”.
For the first time since 1973 the UK “will be an independent coastal state with full control of our waters”, with the UK’s share of fish in its waters rising “substantially from roughly half today to closer to two-thirds in five-and-a-half years’ time”, he continued.
Mr Johnson said: “This deal above all means certainty – certainty for the aviation industry, and the hauliers, certainty for the police and border forces, security services and all those we rely on across Europe to keep us all safe.”
He added: “Above all, it means certainty for business – from financial services to our world-leading manufacturers, our car industry, a certainty for all those who are working in high-skilled jobs in firms and factories across the whole country.
“There will be no palisade of tariffs on January 1, there will be no non-tariff barriers to trade.
“Instead, there will be a giant free trade zone of which we will at once be a member and at the same time be able to do our own free trade deals as one UK.”
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The PM says he hopes there will be a parliamentary vote on the deal on December 30.
He ended the statement by wishing the nation a Happy Christmas.
“That’s the end of Brussels, now for the sprouts,” he joked.
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said: “This deal has been secured as a result of the hard work and commitment of the UK and European negotiating teams.
“Both sides recognised the importance of reaching agreement on a range of complex issues and avoiding a damaging no deal outcome. To have done so just in time for Christmas is great news.
“Crucially, this will protect Scottish jobs and our fishing communities will be far better off without the hated Common Fisheries Policy.
“It is vital that we now move on from past divisions and focus entirely on working together to fight coronavirus and rebuild Scotland’s economy.”
Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford tweeted: “Any deal is better than no deal. We need to see the full details but this is not the deal we would have negotiated. Welsh businesses will still face significant barriers to trade in 2021 and we will stand ready to help them.”
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis tweeted: “.@BorisJohnson has secured a historic deal with the EU that takes back control over our laws, borders, money, fish & trade, with a 0-tariff, 0-quota deal.
“2021 can be a time for globally outward & forward looking UK.”
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