MPs could sit over Christmas to rush through Brexit deal

Tory MPs in the House of Commons on Budget Day - Credit: Jessica Taylor

MPs could be forced to sit in the House of Commons over Christmas to rush through a Brexit deal if one is agreed with the European Union at the last minute ahead of the end of the transition period.

It is expected the House of Commons will rise on Monday 21 December to Monday 4 January.

Boris Johnson’s spokesperson has not ruled out requiring politicians to sit before December 31 to ensure it becomes law.

Asked if there were contingency plans for the Commons to sit between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “We believe that should we reach a free trade agreement there is parliamentary time to put it through the House.

“I think we have seen previously parliament’s ability to pass things at a good speed where necessary and we continue to believe that there is time to do so.”

The spokesman said “time is obviously in short supply” but that the government wanted to reach a deal “as soon as possible”.

A trade minister previously admitted that new trade deals could be put into force before MPs have the opportunity to scrutinise them.

The Lords recently defeated the government in a vote that demanded more parliamentary debate before the passing of deals.