Been watching the Level Playing field commitments carefully - Told that they are gone from the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement/ treaty as were part of backstop - but they are still in the Political Declaration, as required for ambition of zero tariff Free Trade agreement...
For some if that does end up being the final position, even their presence in the political declaration will not be where they thought the PM was going to land a more divergent form of Brexit - eg close alignment “not the goal” from letter to Juncker this month... 
But opens tariff free trade language that in turn helps with the Irish border compromise...
and in any event there are no longer these binding constraints on level playing field, detailed in Gov legal docs, that were part of the backstop... tax, environment, labour, competition
and in any event there are no longer these binding constraints on level playing field, detailed in Gov legal docs, that were part of the backstop... tax, environment, labour, competition
Risk is having no reference to level playing field commitments in the actual legally binding treaty alienates possible Labour support that wanted even more commitments..
And having reference in political declaration to them might put off Conservatives who want rid entirely..
And having reference in political declaration to them might put off Conservatives who want rid entirely..
Alternatively the PM might presume he can sell the lack of them in the legally binding treaty to his Brexiters, and sell the presence of them as an ambition in the political declaration to Labour MPs, and in general argue it can all be sorted after an election...
But little doubt that the EU would not have offered zero tariff, zero quota FTA even as an ambition without the UK signing up to at least the idea of level playing field commitments - eg see French Europe minister warning of UK “tax haven” this month:
As I reported last week, manufacturing groups have told Government directly of their “serious concerns” about Johnson regulatory divergence plan for their industries generally...and impact of no LPFs for access to EASA, ECHA, EMA: bbc.com/news/business-…
That private letter from aerospace, car, pharma, food and chemicals industry said “continued regulatory alignment” was critical and that divergence would disrupt supply chains, and risk consumer and food safety and confidence...did PM listen on this? Or just a tactical shift?
All will be revealed no doubt when we get a text, at some point, but not just of the withdrawal Agreement, VAT permitting, but a new political declaration too. Can’t see how it gets nailed down before extension letter sent on Saturday though...
