Thread by @faisalislam

Government: “it’s a question of semantics at the end of the day, sure” on the use of the phrase “Australia-style terms” to describe no trade deal/ tariffs with EU - also was headline of the overnight press release

https://twitter.com/lbc/status/1318112093019774977

use of “Australia-terms” is even more puzzling, because it is obviously designed to reassure...

But actual point of campaign launched today is to get 10,000s of UK businesses to prepare & react.

Surely they want to say very directly “prepare for tariffs”...“prepare for checks”?

Similar issue Govt ad campaign, which some say looks more like kwik-fit tyre change ad - is Govt communicating this is a really big deal, potentially major business risk which will require weeks of prep? Or is it something you can sort out on the way back home from shops one Sat?

Conflict here between

political imperative to say “oven ready deal” achieved, leading to need to play changes down = “Australia”/ nice traffic lights

& actual imperative right now to communicate clearly/ credibly with eg 40% polled biz who think therell be extension/ no change

NEW:

PM’s talks with business leaders over crucial Brexit preps described to @bbcsimonjack as “terrible” and “utterly disrespectful” - there for 15 mins of 22 min call... 👇🏽

https://twitter.com/bbcsimonjack/status/1318577925491482624?s=21

‘People weren’t prepared for the Single Market in 1992 either!’ - one of the PM’s messages to the business leaders on the call