I understand Crawford Falconer's frustration, but these are not appropriate comments for a civil servant - they are blatantly political, potentially undermine the Government's most important negotiations, and are wrong 1/ telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/…
At a time when Brexit negotiations are said to be in the final stages, and a Customs Union for some years to be one of the ways the negotiating team hopes to solve the Northern Ireland border problem, this is sending a clear political message - from another Department 2/
It is also wrong, in that it yet again equates trade policy with trade agreements. There is plenty that will have to be done Customs Union or not. If DIT and Falcioner aren't going to do this work, who is going to do it? 3/
A final point - the mention of the US trade agreement. Does this quote sound like such an agreement is for the good of the country? A lot of people need a lot of convincing that a US trade deal is a good idea, and that starts with UK businesses. 4/ end 
