Veteran diplomats and Brexit negotiators here don't recognise the Downing account of Merkel call
Seen as frustration spilling over in Downing Street that the EU is standing its ground on customs with no deal in offing for #EUCO
View is that a very difficult call has been misinterpreted or exaggerated because Johnson offer on regulatory alignment (seen as positive) has been knocked back
EU sees customs issue as binary
Most baffling is the veto stuff as EU will move some way to negotiate on consent "and Merkel would have said that"
Most baffling is the veto stuff as EU will move some way to negotiate on consent "and Merkel would have said that"
Along with the Cummings memo, Merkel briefing is seen as UK now moving into full on no deal election mode
Big question now (given EU had anyway more or less collapsed the talks) is what happens on Oct 17? How does extension play out?
Do EU leaders calculate that now is the time to force the issue with a short no deal extension leaving no time for a general election to take place
Commons would then face choice of: no deal, revoke or the withdrawal agreement (with option of choosing Feb 2018 backstop)
Forcing the issue might now be seen as least worst option
It would create a real deadline and concentrating minds on both sides
"The option of deferral needs to be taken out of the equation," said one diplomat
It would create a real deadline and concentrating minds on both sides
"The option of deferral needs to be taken out of the equation," said one diplomat
One to watch - I suspect we might hear more of it
