Thread by @tomhfh

Watch Lord Frost set out the UK's EU demands live on GB News in two mins time. 👀

Lord Frost: As we look at Europe from the UK, the geopolitics of the UK's position as an offshore island come to the forefront.

Frost:

1. Brexit will change our patterns of interest/relationships
2. Brexit means competition
3. Brexit is about democracy
4. The EU and UK have got to a 'low equilibrium' relationship. *Can* be improved
5. Fixing NI Protocol is prerequisite to getting to better relationship

New important alliances:

Whole Atlantic is of renewed significance, including Atlanticist countries like Portugal.

Others of importance: central and eastern Europe facing Russia - Baltics, Poland, three seas initiative.

Competition between states have typically been best driver of progress and innovation.

'Hard Brexit' was essential. The only form of Brexit that allows us freedom to experiment and freedom to act.

What does Brexit Britain look like:

More innovation of bioscience, gene editing, borders.

A "more active state", working within confines of market economy.

Different subsidy regime, reforms to financial services regulations given way EU regs are going.

Frost says in most EU member states national elections no longer influence monetary policy, trade policy, much industrial policy, and much migration policy.

That's their choice, but the UK wants to be able to determine these things in national elections.

Frost embraces term 'populist'. Says its right to pursue policy that people want.

Emphasises that free market capitalism is the best policy - "but now we have to win those arguments not just write them into a treaty".

Frost says there are areas where there is good cooperation - defence, environment etc.

Says competition in areas will help both parties, but risk of alienation is a danger.

Points to EU behaving badly.

Vaccine nationalism
Block on entry to Horizon
Needless ban on import of shellfish
Resort to legal action on Northern Ireland
Accusations the UK can't be trusted / is not a reliable actor

Questions if EU is more obsessed by Brexit than the UK is

On now to "the biggest current problem between us" - the protocol.

"We need to fix this problem"

'There is a widespread feeling in the UK that the EU did try to use Northern Ireland to keep the UK in the EU.'

"The protocol is not working, it has completely lost consent in one community in Northern Ireland... it is doing the opposite of the thing it was set up to do, protect the Belfast Good Friday Agreement"

The 'delicate balance' in the Belfast Agreement has been "shredded" by the EU's implementation of the Protocol.

Frost championing his proposals from July - pitches them as a balance of needs.

The UK will be ready to discuss EU proposals "whatever they say"... but need EU to show same "ambition and willingness"

Frost says he will share *new text* for protocol with EU today

Suggests subsequent Trade & Cooperation Agreement to some extent supersedes protocol

Says role of ECJ in NI creates situation where there is no discretion. Says EU moved to legal complaint at first sign of disagreement.

Says role of ECJ antithetical to making relationship work.

Article 13.8 of Protocol says can be superseded by new agreements.

Frost says now, it must be.

Warns of "historic misjudgement" to say that hastily cobbled together protocol can never be improved upon.

To insist upon this route would be a great disservice to NI, and do away with the system of iterative improvement that has worked for NI in recent years.

Says if EU does not move significantly, UK may trigger Article 16.

Says protocol is there to support the peace agreement, the Article 16 safeguards are there if the protocol no longer provides that support.

Wants to come back to Lisbon next year to talk about new age of co-operation, without having to mention word 'protocol' again.

Western Alliance has too many challenges to fixate on internal disputes.