This is an important development, for several reasons:
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Firstly, it's a much more public recognition of what was already widely understood: progress has been too minimal since March(!) On WA issues to allow for an Oct #EUCO conclusion
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That in turn means that there's a drop in pressure to bust a gut right now to get things moving (Not that anyone was very obviously so doing)
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That also implies that Raab's opening rounds of talks in past week haven't changed the basic dynamics, underlining No.10's centrality to the process
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And crucially, pushing back to Nov means less time for either ratification or more general dealing-with-problems, of which there will doubtless be more
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The big risk is that both sides are buying into a model of last-minute dealing, to deprive critics space to complain/derail.
Understandable, but risky given situation in HoC (and Cabinet for that matter)
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Understandable, but risky given situation in HoC (and Cabinet for that matter)
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In short, this was probably inevitable, but doesn't mean it's not risky
/end
/end
