Re: Brexit talks end 1 day early??
Originally Posted by
Solasch
->
Well, they sent him into the present "speeded up" negotiations with that clear mission: do not accept cherry picking by the british!
So far he is keeping to his brief. After all, it's the british begging for a deal. They can walk away any time they want.
Before talks even began we had noises off from the EU telling us it is not going to be easy and the allotted time for a trade agreement will not be long enough. Had they forgotten they agreed to this? Their once golden boy, Varadkar, had reminded us what a small country we are and that we would receive a warm welcome if we changed our minds. Dream on Leo.
The EU previously offered May a Canada style trade agreement but she and the remainers close to her wanted a much closer relationship instead. It would appear that this Canada +++ type of agreement is now only on offer with lots of strings attached. Cherry picking by the EU? It seems that Canada and Japan only got their deal because they were far away - the UK is on their doorstep. How many times did they tell us there would be no cherry picking? Some reasons why I think we are in a stronger negotiation position now:
1. May and Robbins are gone and the Civil Service have been threatened with reform/put back in their box.
2. EU export more to us than we sell to them. German car makers refer to the UK as "Treasure Island" because we are their most lucrative market. Just bought one myself.
3. We now have a united government and the PM has a stonking majority.
4. No more remainers traipsing off to Brussels whispering in their ear's telling them to play hard ball and this whole Brexit business can be overturned.
For three and a half years the EU hoped, with all the help and connivance from their Remainer friends over here, that somehow Brexit could be overturned. The GE last December should have put paid to that but I don't think the penny has dropped for the EU just yet. Mr Barnier was fond of reminding us, with barely concealed glee, that the clock is ticking. Ticking the other way now though isn't it?