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Powell spot on: This “deal” is designed to be rejected. Instead of presenting it to the EU to be discussed, the PM leaked it to the press, put it in his conference speech as and sent it to individual EU27 gov’ts. All this is entirely designed for his domestic audience.
Johnson’s take-it-or-leave-it offer totally contravenes what UK signed up to in 2017. Both in terms of content (the promise was “no regulatory barriers” - not barriers five miles away) AND in terms of process (UK agreed to negotiate with appointed team - now trying to bypass it).
Important to remember the backstop is not an end in itself. It’s a mechanism for achieving a solution which complies with UK obligations under GFA, to preserve an all-island-economy and facilitate both Irish and British identities. Johnson’s deal patently does NOT achieve this.
It is also utterly baffling for Johnson to insist with the threat that, if the EU don’t agree, he will proceed with a disorderly no deal exit - an option which is simply no longer legally available to him. And the EU know this.
The only logical explanation that this is simply designed to inflame the opposition into acting precipitously. They must keep their power dry. Johnson must be made to either ask for an extension or break the law. Plenty of time after the 19th to take the reins from him.
