Catherine West said: “A sad day for those of us who are Europhiles but I’m relieved a deal has been reached.  Leaving it so late has put businesses in an incredibly difficult situation, but no deal would have been the worst possible outcome – devastating for jobs at the best of times and wickedly negligent in the middle of a global pandemic when we’re already facing the deepest recession of any major economy.

I look forward to reading the detail and taking part in the debate in the Commons next week. But I’m sad that lies and false promises got us here and so much time and money has been wasted over the past four years when our country faces real challenges: the climate emergency, growing inequality, food poverty, a desperate housing shortage and public services creaking at the seams from 10 years of Tory austerity.

London will always be a proudly European city and a deal gives us at least a basis to move forward and build a close relationship with Europe over time.  But the news that this deal means we leave the Erasmus programme is extremely disappointing.  The truth remains that there was never an “oven ready deal” that can replace the one we already had as full EU members.”