EU leaders have approved the UK's withdrawal agreement from the European Union.
The news was broken by Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, on Twitter.
The 27 leaders had given the agreement their backing after less than an hour's discussion in Brussels this morning. The decision was agreed by consensus rather than formal vote.
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However, the deal still needs approval from the UK Parliament, which is expected to vote on the deal towards the beginning of December. Approval from Parliament is by no means guaranteed, as many Laour, Lib Dem, SNP, DUP and Conservative MPs are believed to vote against the deal.
Prime Minister Theresa May has appealed to the public to get behind the agreement, arguing it is the best deal she could have struck and honours the result of the Brexit referendum.
The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on 29 March 2019.
According to the BBC, the EU leaders approved the two key Brexit documents - the 585-page EU withdrawal agreement (which is a legally binding document that lays out the terms of the UK's exit from the EU) and the political declaration (which sets out what the relationship between the UK and the EU could be like after Brexit).
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Yesterday UK Prime Minister Theresa May issued an open letter to the nation, urging them to back her Brexit deal.
She wrote: "It will be a deal that is in our national interest - one that works for our whole country and all of our people, whether you voted 'Leave' or 'Remain'.
"It will honour the result of the referendum.
"We will take back control of our borders, by putting an end to the free movement of people once and for all."
May continued: "On 29 March next year, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union.
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"We will then begin a new chapter in our national life. I want that to be a moment of renewal and reconciliation for our whole country.
"It must mark the point when we put aside the labels of 'Leave' and 'Remain' for good and we come together again as one people.
"To do that we need to get on with Brexit now by getting behind this deal.
"Parliament will have the chance to do that in a few weeks' time when it has a meaningful vote on the deal I hope to strike today.
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"I will be campaigning with my heart and soul to win that vote and to deliver this Brexit deal, for the good of our United Kingdom and all of our people."
Featured Image Credit: PA