The first rumours of this week's UK-EU talks suggests things aren't going too well. Though dropping the term 'cherry picking' would be very helpful. All sides want their own priorities in a trade agreement, doesn't help to pretend otherwise.
Normally major differences in negotiations, of what parties want and can accept, would be handled sensitively over several years, with trust building through first handling easier areas. Compressing that timescale to months is forcing the big issues immediately.
Also why going immediately to text based discussions is greeted with alarm by those with experience of such matters. Amplifies differences before the two sides have worked out ways of talking, or properly considered their own priorities.
