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David Henig Profile picture
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31 Oct, 4 tweets, 1 min read
Look, it isn't news that the UK media gets into a state over Brexit, whatever the French or EU say can be spun by UK politicians, but ultimately they don't want to give us what we want, whereupon lies the actual problem given our negotiating hand is weak. Can we move on?
Ball-by-ball commentary on threats in negotiations is tedious, and I say that in full knowledge of often being the one who does it. It needs to be balanced with serious analysis of the relationship and where that's going. That's still what we're missing for UK-EU-France etc
The false pain of the Brexit ultras that France could possibly be threatening noble UK is nauseating.

And so stifling, childish and much else besides. When do we start behaving in an even vaguely normal way to our neighbours?
All of this seems right to me.

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More from @DavidHenigUK

David Henig Profile picture
31 Oct
Impact on UK as yet unknown, but marginally encouraging to see EU and US finding ways to agree, even if they are somewhat "unorthodox" in terms of trade rules (possibly breaching WTO rules if anyone complains).
Slightly amusing mind considering a UK government which has thus far taken a ridiculously dated and rigid approach to WTO rules, to the extent of suggesting they wouldn't do certain green trade things because they may be against the rules.
Agreed to disagree a little less. You never know, it could catch on, though possibly not in a UK angry with everyone except for some reason Australia.
Read 4 tweets
David Henig Profile picture
31 Oct
Public statements of positions have always been a part of negotiations, but right now between UK and EU I think we could with less of them, and more suggestion of two sides able to resolve issues privately.

You'll all have your views as to who is to blame of course.
Ultimately we are suffering a missing political equilibrium in UK EU relations. The UK wants to be equal to the EU and isn't. The EU still can't really understand why we left, even if they mostly moved on. Hardliners on both side want to see the other suffer.
The UK EU relationship can't move on until a stable political basis is found. The TCA and Withdrawal Agreement aren't that, mostly being hurried technical agreements in which the UK grudgingly lost on most points of detail. With the same team we probably can't move on.
Read 4 tweets
David Henig Profile picture
31 Oct
No summit this government can't manage to overshadow with Brexit rows, because this government needs constant Brexit rows to show its bellicose backbenchers and media supporters of its 'toughness'.

theguardian.com/business/2021/…
The Telegraph and Express need Brexit rows to fill their pages. It has become an addiction for them as for the government.

Express... oblivious to the damage caused to the UK by constant invocation of animosity to EU, and desire to see it end.

Read 6 tweets
David Henig Profile picture
30 Oct
Back to basics. Trade agreement commitments are vague because they have to be to cover complex trade. They rely on trust between parties. Dispute settlement clauses are also therefore useless because the answer to distrust is political not legal.
For how many more years will UK government, politics, media fail to understand that the fundamental of our relationship with the EU is not words on paper but trust between parties they will broadly be implemented?

And if they aren't, what is left is power dynamics.
Shared international institutions like the ECJ put more substance into relations, though ultimately still rely on trust and the backup of interests and power relations. But irrelevant for the UK as we chose not to have shared institutions with the EU.
Read 9 tweets
David Henig Profile picture
29 Oct
So many years of so many bizarre French efforts to stop EU negotiations with third countries, any third country really not just the UK, that this isn't a surprise. But it is a problem for the EU that a France with leadership aspirations behaves in this way.
The EU will attempt as ever to ignore the French undermining third country relationships. But it is a serious embarrassment given Macron is supposed to be the moderate.
Exact meaning to be considered in the context of precedent and associated offences. As it would be and is for the UK government.
Read 4 tweets
David Henig Profile picture
29 Oct
At least Scotland isn't independent yet so we're not completely surrounded.
On balance Ireland siding with France and the UK with Poland just made everything worse. Especially as ultimately Poland won't help us, enough of their own issues.

Not necessarily enthusiastic backing though. And on such subtleties does a third country which wants to achieve something in Brussels rely.
Read 17 tweets

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