Thread by @pmdfoster

We're absolutely, 100% ready to do #Brexit on December 31st. No question about it. No seriously, we are.

Ah, I see. Permission to ask a question (and a follow-up or two) 1/Thread

https://twitter.com/DavidGHFrost/status/1250796637980672003

So where are we with the negotiations - given we've lost three rounds to #Covid-19 already?

Well, the EU has published a holistic draft agreement.

And the UK? Six or seven draft texts on trade, aviation, nuclear, justice and home affairs, energy and social security /2

What about fish? Isn't there a UK text on fish? Don't we need a deal on fishing quotas by July 1 as a condition of EU doing an FTA?

Yes. Er, but no, UK hasn't tabled a deal on fish. We're keeping it back. As leverage. And we have talked about fish.

What happened? /3

Per one account, UK spent 3 hours on a bad video conferencing rehashing its pitch on 'zonal attachments', which the EU says is a quota grabbed dressed up as science.

And what was Commission response: ‘no chance’. /4

OK. SO apart from fish.

What about the structure of the agreement? Over-arching (EU idea) or piecemeal (UK ask) is that basic issue sorted.

Nope.

And the Level-playing field/State aid issue?

Nope. /4

Rules of Origin? Nope.

But SPS ask, that 'New Zealand-style veterinary agreement', that's all agreed right?

Not exactly.

But we're gonna be good to go on Dec 31.

For sure. /5

Oh. I nearly forgot about Northern Ireland protocol.

That customs border in the Irish Sea, that's all built right? All good to go.

I read about it. @ShankerASingham said its all multi-tier AEO plus, plus. What about that?

Um. Well that's not ready either. /6

@ShankerASingham Wow. So none of the fundamentals on LPF, fisheries and governance of the agreement are further on than before #coronavirus struck.

Seems like there's lots to do.

What about customs and the short-straits border? Now that's definitely sorted right? I mean, we can do that now/7

@ShankerASingham The hauliers, the logistics guys, the cold chain people that will need to make Dover-Calais border good to go - including all the security declarations you added a while back.

What about that? What's business saying? /8

@ShankerASingham Well, I spoke to the boss of the Cold Chain Federation today @ColdChainShane , gotta say, he didn't sound that confident

"wilful ignorance about how hopelessly ill-prepared both sides are to operate a functioning customs border".

Ouch /9

@ShankerASingham @ColdChainShane But we need some blitz spirit right? All hands to the pump!

But where are those hands? The ones that were going to make an already impossible timeframe for the border work?

They're on #coronavirus duty. A lot of them in their living rooms right now. /10

@ShankerASingham @ColdChainShane And business? I mean they're in good shape right? Bit bruised from #Coronavirus but what's one more shock to add? These don't make easy reading thought. /11

cdn.obr.uk/Coronavirus_re…

progressive-policy.net/publications/w…

@ShankerASingham @ColdChainShane Apart from all *that* its good-to-go Houston for December 31 lift-off.

I mean, apols for the sarcasm, but come OFF it. The silly games are well, so silly. I just feel patronised.

Did you hear Angela Merkel on telly last night? That's what adult conversation sounds like. ENDS