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The Hancock plan for Brexit is commendably serious, compared with what most other leadership candidates are saying. Good that he wants to be honest about the trade-off between sovereignty & market access; & to say that no one can promise to change withdrawal agreement. @CER_EU /1
The plan for an Irish Border Council shows the right spirit - all parties must be involved in solving border conundrum, and there has to be a role for Dublin, Brussels and probably an 'independent broker'. /2
But to say that the 'EU previously mooted adding a time limit to the backstop' and so should agree to that is disingenuous. My understanding is that a time limited has indeed been mooted occasionally be some EU figures, but that has never been close to being the policy of EU. /3
So long as Dublin opposes it, most other govts will reject time limit. The best UK could aim for is some fair & objective process for assessing whether smart tech obviates need for a hard border and thus the backstop. UK won't be allowed to decide that moment unilaterally. ENDS
