Thread by @SarahLudford

“Compounding the ill-feeling is the belief that while the Commission, according to officials, is working flat out to find flexibilities, the UK is either dragging its feet on implementing the Protocol, or publicly criticising the EU’s interpretation of it.”

https://twitter.com/tconnellyrte/status/1401058674370650123

“The UK pushed for the EU to agree an equivalence deal, whereby UK food standards are accepted as similar to EU ones…the EU rejected this, arguing that the UK had pledged to diverge from EU standards”

“Instead, EU has urged UK to consider SPS agreement, aligning with EU’s food safety & animal health rules, even temporarily, in order to do away with 80% of checks on the Irish Sea. London has refused to consider this.”

So Johnson is prioritising chlorinated chicken over NI

“EU hopes of a breakthrough have been eroded by the UK’s unilateral actions in extending grace periods or derogations without consultation, but also by the relentless sniping at the protocol, and the EU’s interpretation of it, by the chief Brexit minister David Frost.”

“Instead of next week’s Joint Committee meeting heralding a breakthrough, @MarosSefcovic is expected to level with Mr Frost that the EU can no longer accept the UK’s alleged bad faith.”

"’Did they say, we will sign this but please be under no illusion this will ever be implemented? No.
‘If they had said that, we would have said, don't sign it. If you do sign, then we will expect you to respect your obligations’.”

“For now, a clear-sighted discussion of technical issues is being poisoned by allegations of bad faith, hypocrisy, and even an accusation that the UK is playing footsie with potential loyalist violence during the marching season.”