This is a historic day for the United Kingdom. More than three years since the British people delivered their emphatic verdict to leave the European Union, the Conservative government is finally delivering Brexit and tonight at 11pm we will be out of the EU for good!

Britain can once again stand tall, with the future of our nation restored into the hands of its own people. Finally, we will be back on the path to independent nationhood and full sovereignty. We are taking back control of our laws, trade policy, immigration, borders and seas around our islands. No longer constricted by the ever-expanding tentacles of Brussels bureaucracy, the United Kingdom will be able to become a truly global trading nation once again.

Friday, January 31, was a joyous day of celebration for all patriotic Britons, including myself. The people of Romford voted overwhelming to leave the European Union. I led the Havering vote leave campaign and I have fought every single day since the referendum to deliver on that vote.

However, we must not become complacent in the months ahead. Yes, Friday we officially left the European Union, but there is much more to Brexit than simply leaving the EU legally. Our government must be bold in order to take full advantage of the massive opportunities ahead of us.

That means negotiating a new trade deal with Europe that enables us to return to our roots as a seafaring, global, free-trading nation.

This means reviving our relationships with the Commonwealth and historic partners across the Atlantic, as well as working together with the nations of the continent. It also means being ambitious in our domestic agenda, so that Brexit delivers change for the better for everyone in the United Kingdom.