Commentary On April 28, the EU voted to ratify the post-Brexit trade deal by 660-5 with 32 abstentions. But this overwhelming majority was begrudgingly given, as not meeting the deadline would have resulted in the UK leaving on a “no-deal” basis and subject to World Trade Organization tariffs on trade. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sought to reassure her colleagues why ratification of the post-Brexit trade deal was so important: “It will give us the tools we need to ensure full and faithful compliance with the obligations, which both sides signed up to.” While some Brexiteers voiced concerns that the deal conceded too much to Brussels, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the vote marked the “final step in a long journey, providing stability to our new relationship with the EU as vital trading partners, close allies and sovereign equals.” Surprisingly, Britain’s chief negotiator, Lord Frost, also used the …