Time for regular charade of UK talking up prospects of some great EU trade deal; while EU itself criticises British for not seriously engaging over obstacles to new (but actually pretty bog-standard) treaty. So time also to recall basic calculation by Johnson that led us here:
Underlying problem? UK "red lines" should mean only distant future EU-UK relationship in trade, security etc. But also means a) serious disruption to existing relations with EU, obviously with greater impacts on UK as junior partner + b) problem of how to avoid hard Irish border
May Government's calculation? Keep paying lip service to own "red lines"... but in practice, sign up for deal that would keep UK more closely tied to EU for foreseeable future = minimise economic / security disruption + avoid Irish border without cutting Norn Iron off from GB
Johnson's recalculation? Wants genuinely distant future EU-UK relationship & wants it as soon as possible = free to diverge from European regulatory standards [Johnson promises only ever to do better...] & embark upon worldbeating “Global Britain” trade policy [equally laughable]
Tories regard a) significant dislocation in trade & security relations with EU + b) legal & economic segregation of Norn Iron, as prices well worth paying to realise those objectives. EU trade deal is of no interest to these Leave fanatics. So... do we believe Johnson over EU27?
