The Express reports today: “THE EUROPEAN Research Group Legal Advisory Committee has published a document explaining why the group of Brexiteer backbenchers will vote for Boris Johnson’s deal with the EU.

Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union has won the backing of the Brexiteer backbenchers, who have said the agreement “preserves the UK’s sovereignty”. A “star chamber” of lawyers – led by senior Tory Sir Bill Cash – was assembled by the European Research Group (ERG) to examine the 1,246-page text of the agreement. They concluded that the agreement “preserves the UK’s sovereignty as a matter of law and fully respects the norms of international sovereign-to-sovereign treaties”.

 In a statement, they said: “The “level playing field” clauses go further than in comparable trade agreements, but their impact on the practical exercise of sovereignty is likely to be limited if addressed by a robust government.

“In any event they do not prevent the UK from changing its laws as it sees fit at a risk of tariff countermeasures, and if those were unacceptable the Agreement could be terminated on 12 months’ notice.”

The DUP, which backed Brexit, has also said it will oppose the deal because the Brexit divorce settlement imposes customs checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

MPs and peers will debate and vote on the EU (Future Relationship) Bill on Wednesday with the legislation being rushed through in a day ahead of the end of the transition period at 11pm on Thursday.

MP for Morley and Outwood Andrea Jenkyns published the ERG’s verdict in full on Twitter, which also contained a sentence explaining the deal was supported party because it contained a provision for termination on 12 months’ notice.

She also tweeted: “The #ERG officers have recommended that we should support this deal as it respects British Sovereignty. Here’s to a bright future for Post-Brexit Britain.”

The ERG’s legal advisory committee included Sir Bill, Martin Howe QC, Barnabas Reynolds, Christopher Howarth, Emily Law and the MP David Jones.

On fisheries, they stated that the agreement “temporarily limits the exercise of the UK’s sovereign rights over its waters that would apply in the absence of the Agreement”.

Read the article here.