1/ My very boring take on the UK-US docs is they read exactly as you'd expect from two sides trying to better understand one another's systems ahead of an FTA negotiation.
Government's mistake was to say issues aren't "up for discussion" instead of "we won't make concessions."
Government's mistake was to say issues aren't "up for discussion" instead of "we won't make concessions."
2/ When you say something won't even be talked about, you set yourself up to look deceptive when it inevitably is.
You put yourself in the position of either not even letting the other side explain their interests or of contradicting your promises, right from the start.
You put yourself in the position of either not even letting the other side explain their interests or of contradicting your promises, right from the start.
3/ "BUT BORIS JOHNSON IS LIAR, HE WILL SELL NHS TO AMERIKANZ AND CHLORINATE MY CHICKEN NUGGET," you shout at me.
That's a valid opinion, but let's be honest and admit there's literally nothing Boris Johnson, DIT or anyone else could do at this point to make you stop holding it.
That's a valid opinion, but let's be honest and admit there's literally nothing Boris Johnson, DIT or anyone else could do at this point to make you stop holding it.
4/ Either you believe a Boris Johnson administration will cave on these issues or you don't.
Whether the issues arose in some meetings DIT staff took with their counterparts (or even industry) before negotiations even started doesn't change that calculus one iota.
Whether the issues arose in some meetings DIT staff took with their counterparts (or even industry) before negotiations even started doesn't change that calculus one iota.
