Thread by @AnnaJerzewska

On this "the EU acted in bad faith" point.

The EU was never the question mark in these negotiations.

We've seen the EU negotiate FTAs time after time. We've seen EU FTA neogiations breaking down because the demands were too high/will to compromise was too low

/1

https://twitter.com/AnnaJerzewska/status/1306141911867183105

We've known what EU's 3rd country rules and obligations were since before the referendum. All of this was obvious. Painfully obvious.

/2

The EU 3rd country rules, whether it's export procedures (exist summary decl) or SPS rules, were the rules we applied to 3rd countries as a member of the EU.

Yes, somehow, these are the rules that ended surprising our Gov.

/3

And this is what I don't get.

How can you claim that the EU is acting in bad faith when it's doing everything we knew it would do?

/4

We're literally crying foul because the EU is playing by the rules that we've known about for years.

Are we surprised that they are tough negotiators unwilling to make far reaching concessions in return for very little?

/5

I'm just surprised that anyone is surprised that both sides are focusing on protecting their own interests.

With the EU being the predictable party in these negotiations.

/6

And as much as I would like for the UK to continue to negotiate and try to get the best deal it possibly can I would love it if we could do it without shouting "it's not fair" every few min.

It's not a good look.

/ends