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The letters give insight into the internal negotiation between British and EU officials. They confirm that the Withdrawal Agreement and the Irish backstop are designed to work in all weather conditions. They propel forward the negotiation of the final association agreement. 1/
They help cement the link between the WA and the Political Declaration, and to boost the PD status as the mandate for the final treaty talks. That link could yet be made stronger and the PD could be given greater purpose as I have proposed in epc.eu/pub_details.ph… 2/
If MPs get a chance after tomorrow to widen the scope of the PD especially with regard to mobility, services and customs arrangements, they should do so. The EU would welcome that, and agreement on a better PD could be reached quickly. @NickBoles 3/
Then it could be decided to extend the Article 50 timetable for a short time explicitly to allow the UK to ready itself for Brexit. In any case all must be settled in EU law before the dissolution of the European Parliament on 17 April. 4/
I am a Lib Dem Remainer. I regret Brexit. But I want the deal to go through because other options are worse. The WA + PD (possibly improved) are a respectable compromise, mitigating the adverse effects on Britain and minimising collateral damage to the EU. They avoid no deal. 5/
The deal keeps the UK’s adherence to the EU acquis and joint EU UK governance at a high level, facilitating a possible re-entry as a full member state in a few years’ time once the association agreement has been tried. 6/
I will feel queasy tomorrow when Lib Dem MPs, who after all promoted the referendum and pledged to support its outcome, join Esther McVey and Boris Johnson in the lobby to oppose the deal. Talk about unholy alliances. 7/
I opposed holding the 1st and oppose a 2nd referendum because referendums badly divide the nation, ruin parliamentary government, split parties and seldom settle anything. That’s not really the Liberal way. 8/
