Ashby MP Andrew Bridgen says the UK has come a long way in five years following the announcement of the Brexit trade deal last week.

Mr Bridgen admits that the agreement needs proper scrutiny and should not be 'bounced through the Commons'.

But he says this is the Brexit that 52 per cent of the country voted for in 2016.

Mr Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, told The Express: "It went down to the wire, but that was always going to happen, Christmas 2020 has seen the UK and the EU sign a historic trade deal worth in excess of £600 billion and secures quota and tariff free trade between us.

"The arch Remainers such as Dominic Grieve, Anna Soubry and the Labour Party are describing the deal as thin which in itself should be seen as a victory for the Leave campaign and those of us who campaigned for a proper Brexit.

"Not the Brexit in name only that Theresa May was trying the foist upon us, but the Brexit that which 52 per cent of the nation voted for in 2016, one which takes back control of our borders our laws and restored our sovereignty.

"The deal on the face of it looks very encouraging, but we will be living with it for decades and it does need proper scrutiny.

"Rather than bounce it through the Commons in one day, both the EU and UK should have a short period of time to analyse it properly before we grant approval and there should be a provisional approval vote followed by full Parliamentary scrutiny and a subsequent confirmatory vote, because as we know a Treaty with the EU is not just for Christmas.

"However, we do need to consider how far we have come.

"If in 2015 had you had offered any reasonable Eurosceptic the scenario where the UK is out of the EU, no longer subject to European Courts, sets its own immigration policies, has quota and tariff free trade with the EU whilst no longer paying billions into its budget and is setting up our own trade deals with over 50 nations and many more to follow, they should have snapped not only your hands off but also your arms and legs.

"Stretching it out this far may have proved inconvenient for some however with the way the EU are, it was inevitable and has ultimately meant we have got a better deal than the one we would have got had we caved in earlier as Sir Kier Starmer was urging. 

"The European question is now finally settled and the behaviour of the EU over the past four years shows why we were so right to leave, we now can look to a new future as a dynamic sovereign global trading nation. 

"I wish you all a Merry Brexmas."