Theresa May’s Brexit deal is the best one to deliver for the people of Britain

I DON’T normally praise Labour politicians, but Diane Abbott made a telling point in the Commons this week.

She said we must “honour and respect” the democratic choice of the British people to leave the European Union.

That is the whole point of the agreement the Prime Minister has secured. Amid the sound and fury of this debate, do not lose sight of what the Government is doing.

We are acting on the instructions of the people to take Britain out of the EU. No ifs and no buts.

In June 2016, 17.4 million people voted for Brexit, more than for any political party in British history. Over two years later, it’s time to settle the squabbles and get on with the job.

I want MPs to support the Prime Minister’s agreement on Tuesday because it offers the surest path to Brexit.

The alternatives – a second referendum or no Brexit at all – would fly in the face of the will of the British people. Instead of honouring and respecting the referendum, politicians would be ignoring the result.

Pulling out of the EU is a hugely complex task. Leaving a bloc that we joined nearly 46 years ago, while staying friends with its members, means that everyone has to compromise.

Some people legitimately say that the Withdrawal Agreement is not perfect, but it offers the most practical way of doing what the British electorate want.

People voted to take back control of our borders, laws and money. This deal fulfils those instructions, while protecting jobs and the integrity of our United Kingdom.

If you are in the EU, you have to accept the automatic right of any citizen of any other member state to live and work in your country.

This agreement will end that situation and restore the British Government’s power to decide who should settle in our country. We will admit people with the right skills for our economy, regardless of their background.

Britain is generous and tolerant, so the rights of EU citizens already living here will be protected, along with the rights of Britons residing in the EU.

We will also stop making vast annual payments to the EU, allowing the British Government to decide on public spending priorities.

As I know from my previous job, this Government’s priority is the NHS. By 2023, we will be investing an extra £394 million in the NHS every week.

Tomorrow I will go to Brussels to meet fellow Foreign Ministers from across the EU. We will discuss how to take forward our work to counter the common threats from terrorists and hostile states. That vital task will continue under the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal, which allows us to work together when it makes sense, and go our own way when we want.

The real choice is not between the Prime Minister’s agreement and a perfect solution.

The real choice is between this agreement and going back to square one and running the risk of Brexit not happening at all. Now is the time to finish the job.