Today's Brexit news does not come as a surprise. There has, once again, been no meaningful progress. It is *very easy* to see why. And December approaches. 1/8
https://twitter.com/DavidGHFrost/status/1316785715943014400?s=20
In a negotiation, it pays to understand the position of the other side. The EU side has struggled to understand the position of the UK. The UK side has made next to no effort to understand position of the EU. 2/8
The UK is asking for *both* unfettered regulatory freedom and unfettered access to the EU market. Given the EU's - unambiguous - insistence on the integrity of the single market, and the realities of international trade, that is an impossible ask. 3/8
The UK has to choose - either 'sovereignty' or easy access to the EU market. It will only gain such easier access if it is to surrender some of its regulatory freedom, and agree to follow certain (EU) rules. 4/8
In order to get a trade deal, the UK needs to convince the EU that it is, and will be, willing to abide by certain (EU) rules; that it will not pose a threat to the internal market.
(There is a lot of scope for detailed negotiation here.) 5/8
(There is a lot of scope for detailed negotiation here.) 5/8
Instead, it has loudly trumpeted its sovereignty, and is legislating to facilitate the breach of existing Treaty commitments. The EU's response is - predictably - to insist on more stringent 'governance' rules. The UK's response is to feign surprise and incomprehension. 6/8
The route of the problem is that the UK is making an impossible ask. If it chooses to soften its position, it can (still) get a deal. If it does not, it will not. 7/8
There is still time for a deal. But, as I've said before, the spirit of trust and compromise needed to achieve it is nowhere to be found. 8/8
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