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1) While all versions of #Brexit under the sun are being thought about in Parliament there’s no whiff of the EU changing its position
2) EU member states are not (yet) discussing the possibility of a second referendum or an extension of article 50 negotiating time amongst themselves
3) Regardless of the result of the vote in parliament on 11th, the EU is adamant the deal on the table is the best compromise for both sides - they say they can and will go no further
4) If Theresa May loses the parliamentary vote on Tues and comes to the scheduled summit of EU leaders on Thurs asking for changes, the EU view is they can only be cosmetic
5) One high places EU diplomat told me drily: We could offer to change the colour of the paper the is printed on to pink or to red, white and blue if that would help Theresa May
6) EU diplomats are mystified by the current discussion amongst MPs. One contact told me “the U.K. is leaving the facts in the ground and going off into its own orbit.”
7) Many MPs are talking about the deal Theresa May negotiated with the EU as if that is it- a final trade deal and they don’t like it but the final trade deal (and future EU-U.K. security relations etc) will only BEGIN to be discussed after #Brexit
8) EU leaders point to the (aspirational)political declaration on post Brexit EU-U.K. relations that’s on table now and say: these are just benchmarks. All possibilities from a Canada style deal (w implications for NIreland) to a Norway+ relationship are achievable after #Brexit
9) A warning from Brussels: If the PM comes to EU summit next week asking for changes to the deal or for the clock to be stopped on article 50 time to allow for eg second referendum, she shouldn’t expect an immediate response
10) UK knows from experience that decisions don’t come fast in the EU. Some leaders will also need to consult with their parliaments back home if it comes to question of freezing article 50 process
