portslade seagull
Well-known member
Latest round of Brexit talks have ended. Barnier gave a press conference. Virtually no progress on any substantive issues. He itemised the areas (4 concrete examples) in which the government are 'back-tracking' (his term) on the Political Declaration. We appear to be shuffling toward the no deal outcome. My take on this is that
a) there might still be the lingering thought on the UK side that the EU will concede at the last minute
b) Johnson knows they won't but he's boxed himself in a corner with promises to his base on so many issues (eg fisheries) that he simply can't be seen to be conceding any ground: talks collapse; no deal
c) as above, but as a liar he will reluctantly concede at a late stage and try to bluff his way out of it - reluctant deal
d) the least likely: he'll enter into the negotiations (which he signed up to) with 'best intent' and look for complex, pragmatic, negotiated outcomes in the spirit of the Political Declaration, and be honest with the pubic that with such outcomes you have to give something to receive something in return - genuine deal
PS what ever happened to the illusion of 'frictionless trade'?
As always in the utopian world of remainers Barnier always tells the truth. Let's wait and see. A deal will probably be made last minute to save face on both sides.