Checking in on deal, bleary eyed as a bastard, from Argentina. Looks good to me. Shift towards soft Brexit as default position.
'Regulatory alignment' is a big open phrase of course - only reason we can do deal now is by making language as expansive as possible.
But in 12 months we've gone from 'we'll make decisions on food labelling' to this. They'll shift again in next 12 months.
May gave them everything. The EU gave next-to nothing. The UK government is a leaf in the wind.
We could easily end up with SM/CU membership as result of this. Or in a permanent state of transition. Or in a v.close regulatory embrace. All to fight for.
Finally, this isn't a deal with meaning. That can is getting kicked very decisively down the road to avoid a March 2018 no-dealy horror show for business.
All May's problems, incl that Good Friday basically sucks her into SM/CU like a vortex, remain. She's still toast.
Right now I'm getting back to my bastard holiday.
