MPs are preparing to vote on on approving the historic EU trade bill after a last-minute deal was secured with the EU.

Parliamentarians will have just five hours to debate the new EU (Future Relations) Bill in the House of Commons today, before voting on the law that will allow the Brexit deal to be implemented.

Opening the debate at around 9.30am, the Prime Minister is expected to say that the UK will become “a friendly neighbour” and the “best friend and ally the EU could have” after once being a “half-hearted, sometimes obstructive member of the EU”.

He will also say that his government has “pressed ahead” despite calls to delay the Brexit process, “precisely because creating certainty about our future provides the best chance of beating Covid and bouncing back even more strongly next year.”

Mr Johnson will tell MPs that the Bill will create a “new relationship” between the EU and the UK as “sovereign equals”, and is expected to add: “We will now open a new chapter in our national story, striking free trade deals around the world, adding to the agreements with 63 countries we have already achieved, and reasserting global Britain as a liberal, outward-looking force for good.”

His speech comes after days of turbulence around support for the bill, with all MPs from Labour and the Conservatives whipped to vote in favour of it, while all other parties have been whipped to vote against.

It will still give the Conservative government a majority before it crosses to the House of Lords this afternoon.

The SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford announced on Sunday that his party would not be voting in favour of the bill, sparking criticism that the Nationalists would essentially be voting for a no-deal exit from the EU despite the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying earlier this month that such an outcome would be disastrous for businesses and the economy. .

Mr Blackford and many other SNP MPs have denied this, with Mr Blackford saying: “We are certainly not supporting no deal. No deal is something that would be a disaster for all of us.

“The best deal that we’ve got is the one we currently have where we’re still in the single market and customs union. All the economic evidence, including from the UK Government, is that we are all going to be poorer with this deal.”

Their explanations have been challenged by both Labour and the Scottish Conservatives, with Douglas Ross, the MP for Moray and Scottish Tories leader, tweeting yesterday: “Despite her own warnings earlier this month, Nicola Sturgeon’s MPs will be voting tomorrow for a no-deal Brexit.”

Yesterday afternoon, the Liberal Democrats announced they would not be supporting the EU bill either.

Ed Davey, the party leader, explained that the deal was “threadbare” and “bad for jobs, business, security, and our environment”.

Mr Davey added: “It is clear that this is a bad deal that will make people’s lives poorer, so the Liberal Democrats will vote against it.

“This botched deal leaves the services sector in limbo and is the only free trade deal in history to put up barriers and increase red tape, bringing long delays and higher costs.

“We all are desperate to move forward, to see our country united again, to restore our economy and our communities after a terrible year. Even by his own low standards, Boris Johnson’s deal just makes that more difficult.”

Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said that the Brexit saga was a “warning for those who advocate independence”, adding: “Breaking up long-term economic partnerships is painful and costly. We should not repeat those mistakes of Brexit with independence.”

Alister Jack, Secretary of State for Scotland, warned Scottish MPs would have to face questions from their constituents if they did not support the UK Government’s bill.

He said: “This is a historic moment for all Scottish MPs, and their constituents will expect them to do the right thing. I urge them to give the deal their whole-hearted support, which is so very clearly in Scotland’s interests.

“Those who do not will have to explain to people in Scotland why they voted for no deal. They will, rightly, face incomprehension and anger.”

The Labour Party is facing internal rebellion over Keir Starmer’s decision to support the bill.

A statement drawn up by the left-wing groups Another Europe is Possible and Labour for a Socialist Europe, published yesterday, stated that it was the duty of the Opposition to provide parliamentary scrutiny and to set out an alternative.

A number of high-profile members, including shadow chancellor John McDonnell, signed the statement. However, the Labour leader said his party must support the bill as “it is not credible for Labour to be on the sidelines”.

Ian Murray, Scottish Labour MP, has put forward amendments over the Erasmus scheme, calling for a report on whether Scotland could still retain access to the student exchange programme, as well as an amendment on financial services.