Grantham MP Gareth Davies has explained why he voted for Boris Johnson's Brexit deal earlier this week.

The vote preceded the end of the transition period and the UK becoming fully independent at 11am on New Year's Eve.

Mr Davies was among all the new Tory MPs elected last December who all backed the deal.

The MP posted on social media: "After my election in December 2019, my first ever vote in the House of Commons was for the Withdrawal Agreement which saw the United Kingdom formally leave the European Union, delivering on the will of the majority of the British people and indeed of my constituency in Grantham and Stamford. This was also a very clear manifesto commitment."

His comment, posted on Wednesday, continued: "Today, I was pleased to have voted for the UK EU Trade Agreement negotiated by an excellent team led by the Prime Minister.

"Many said this day would never come, but I am pleased it has and that the deal will enable us to maintain a good working relationship with our European neighbours based on free trade as a sovereign nation.

"This deal represents one of the biggest ever trade agreements worth over £660bn and we have now secured 64 trade deals across the world, and as such we can look out ambitiously as an independent country fully in control of our borders, laws and money."

Mr Davies added: "After many years of debate and division, it is time to now work together in the national interest to ensure that we thrive as the great, proud, United Kingdom that we are."

Vale of Belvoir MP Alicia Kearns has similarly explained why she voted for the PM's Brexit deal, as reported by Nub News here.