ALL of the New Forest and Dorset MPs supported the Government and voted in favour of the post-Brexit trade deal.

During a specially-convened parliament session on Wednesday, December 31, politicians voted 521 to 73 to approve legislation to ratify the terms secured with the European Union by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns was among the few MPs who spoke during the debate before the division was held in the House of Commons.

Brexiteer Mr Burns said that the EU, on the journey that it is now on, “is not right for the character of Britain”.

He added: “Today marks the day where the British dog finally (leaves) the federalist manger. Our European friends can now pursue their ambitions unencumbered by reluctant Brits. We are no longer a reluctant and truculent member, but a sovereign equal and a close friend.

“We could be on the dawn of a new golden era for this country and I relish the reality that today we are at last again masters of our own destiny.”

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood was not able to speak during the session but shared his thoughts in a video on Twitter.

He said: "This recall of Parliament today to finally approve the EU trade agreement provides a welcome positive note to end the most difficult of years.

"But until the memoirs are written we won't know how close we sailed to leaving without a deal.

"So the Prime Minister is to be congratulated for securing an answer to that question that was absent on the 2016 ballot sheet, what does Brexit actually look like?

"And only when a no deal loomed in the 11th hour did we begin to appreciate the scale of the damage that this would have caused to our economy and the harm that it would bring to our international understanding, not least with our closest ally the United States.

"This journey to democratically honour the referendum result has been long, it's been painful and at times undignified.

"It has polarised the nation, Parliament and indeed political parties and if we are frank it has even affected the makeup of government.

"So this historical deal offers a generational opportunity to heal to regroup and indeed to move forward.

"Domestically we must affirm what unites and defines a post-Covid, post-Brexit Britain and internationally what is our place in the world beyond the strapline of 'Global Britain'.

"The distraction of Brexit effectively cause us to absent ourselves from the international stage at a time when the west has progressively become more risk averse, giving space for threats, both state and non-state, to grow and diversify.

"But we are an outward looking internationally engaged nation. Our prosperity relies on access to global markets.

"Alliances need to be rebuilt. Institutions require upgrading. Armed treaties need to be revisited. The west must once again work together.

"Now with the UK having the largest military forces in Europe and most advanced intelligence services and with a new occupant in the White House wanting to reinvigorate western resolve, it's critical we improve our foreign policy coordination between the US, the UK, the EU and indeed NATO if we are to effectively address the gradual erosion in global stability.

"I certainly hope this new chapter will see a more confident, less risk averse Britain taking a more proactive roll on the international stage.