Thread by @AlbertoNardelli

About last night:

1) May went to the meeting seeking legally-binded assurances with half-baked proposals to placate hard Brexiteers & DUP

These have been rejected repeatedly for obvious reasons. Backstop is an insurance policy not “a trap.” Not EU27 problem many MPs ignore this

2) May was asked by several leaders, and, I am told, most emphatically by Chancellor Merkel: 'what is it that you want?'

The prime minister was unable to provide an answer to this question with any precision.

That is where May is at in a nutshell: Nearly two years after triggering article 50, the UK does not have an answer to the question, "what do you want?"

There are also concerns that the UK – across the political spectrum – has no idea what kind of future relationship it wants.

This speaks to a broader point: throughout the negotiations, UK has been told what would work, what wouldn't, and the tradeoffs. But has ploughed ahead regardless.

UK was told *before* Chequers that it wouldn't work. And now, we see the same thing happening with the backstop.

There is some talk in parts of the press about Ireland and France blocked this, Austria wanted that, and so on. Here's the thing: The UK is soon becoming a third country. For the 27, unity is paramount and the priority. The concerns of one, is the concern of all 27.

One final observation: May appealed to the 27 to “leave nothing in reserve”. When you leave nothing in reserve, your car will eventually grind to a halt.

Apologies, one further observation, which is important to note: none of this means that more assurances cannot be provided by Jan. But these would need to be based on a precise ask, and within confines of what is possible