Thread by @BrigidLaffan

Thank you @jillongovt for posting this-must listen. Great to have a focus on the future. Interestingly I disagree with Sir Ivan on his portrayal of the #EU approach to negs- technocratic & run by the theologians & not strategic in summary. @BrigidLaffan

https://twitter.com/jillongovt/status/1102641123770724352

In my view EU had 3 strategic interests to protect in Brexit negs which it has done. 1. Following the portrayal of EU as weak & disintegrating during ref, EU had to assert its centrality in Europe. @BrigidLaffan

2. Membership has to matter/a departing state that wants to retain a lot of the status quo cannot be allowed to do so. 3. The rules based system had to be protected. @BrigidLaffan

Beyond this the EU has a strategic interest to maintain as close as possible a relationship with #UK provided that this does not undermine the other & more important strategic interests. @BrigidLaffan

As Sir Ivan said the #EU27 will continually say to #UK you opted for this, it is your responsibility & choice- this will not change during the future relationship negs. So in summary the future relationship with U.K. will not be prioritised above the EU system itself.

As I listened to Sir Ivan who has such a sophisticated grasp of high level #EU negs, I thought there is something about the EU that has not been internalised even by the most experienced UK officials. What is that? That the EU is a polity & not merely an arena for transactions