Boris Johnson promises to wrap up Brexit vote for Christmas

The British Parliament will voteon Boris Johnson's Brexit deal on Friday, a move the primeminister described as delivering on his promise to "get theBrexit vote wrapped up for Christmas" following his landslideelection victory.

After suffering several heavy defeats in the previous Parliament, Johnson now enjoys a large majority and should facelittle opposition in passing the bill to implement Britain'sbiggest foreign and trade policy shift in more than 40 years.

More than three years since Britain voted to exit theEuropean Union in a 2016 referendum, the deep uncertainty overBrexit has been replaced by afirm deadline of Jan. 31.

"Then, at the beginning of the new decade, at the beginningof a new dawn for our country, our parliamentarians will returnto Westminster to immediately finish the job, take us out of theEU on the 31st January and move this country forward," he said.

The final stages of ratification will take place afterChristmas, but Johnson wants to hold a vote before then as asign of his intent.

After leaving, Britain will need to secure new tradingarrangements with the EU. The so-called withdrawal agreementbill seeks to make sure that there can be no legal chance ofextending those talks beyond the end of next year.

Just a week after he won the largest Conservative majoritysince Margaret Thatcher in 1987, Johnson has set out anambitious government program with securing Brexit at the topof his agenda to repay the trust of voters.

Hoping to satisfy the demands of voters in northern andcentral England who broke their tradition of backing theopposition Labour Party to support him, he has also pledged morefunding to the state health service, education and policing.

"After years of delay and rancour in Parliament, we willdeliver certainty, and hard-working businesses and people acrossthis country will have a firm foundation on which to plan forthe future," he said.