UK's Johnson says Brexit deal is 'reasonable, fair'

UK prime minister Boris Johnson clinched a last-minute Brexit divorce deal on Thursday (October 17).

One he - and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker - claim works for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland's border issue.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION, JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER, SAYING:

"This is a fair, a balanced agreement. It is testament to our agreement to finding solutions. It provides certainty where Brexit creates uncertainty. It protects the rights of our citizens and it protects peace and stability on the island of Ireland."

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party though said it could not support the latest agreement.

Johnson insists the new offer ticks the boxes for all parties.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, BORIS JOHNSON, SAYING:

"It's a reasonable, fair outcome (...) It means that Northern Ireland and every other part of the UK can take part, not just in free trade deals, offering our tariffs and exporting our goods around the world -- but it also means that we can take together as a single, United Kingdom, decisions about the future, about our laws, our borders, our money and how we want to run the UK."

The prime minister will face a vote on his new deal in a deeply divided parliament on Saturday (Saturday 19).

Johnson needs at least 318 votes to be certain of victory in the 650-seat parliament.