Are the Commission playing politics again? A quick thread 👇 on their latest slide which shows how few problems on (Irish) border would be resolved by a Customs Union. This is yet another example of Commission desire to play politics in the UK 
1) As @adamfleming observed this is a very unsubtle message from the EU which is showing itself far too keen to intervene (in a very obvious and quite clunky way) in UK political debates. The Commission knows Parliamentarians are divided on Customs Union and are playing into that
2) Other examples of this desire to play British politics include Barnier's comments that EU would consider a change of position on UK Single Market & Customs Union membership at any point up until end of transition. Clearly this was intended to encourage UK parliament rebels
3) And the laughably political waterfall graph which misleadingly suggests that leaving Customs Union is last step before a Canada-style relationship. In fact (as I've illustrated to right) all countries circled in pink are outside Customs Union but much closer to EU than Turkey
4) Today's graph is another political demarche in the EU Commission's determined mission to get Britain to join a new Customs Union with the EU. But it might backfire because it shows - according to the EU - how little a new Customs Union would resolve.
5) Or perhaps it suggests the Commission are shifting their aim to focus on Single Market - perhaps noticing a movement in some Labour backbenchers? Do they think they can bank the Customs Union and move on to Single Market?
6) The EU's overall strategic goal is to limit Brexit - to keep UK in a tight Brussels orbit, in Customs Union & Single Market too. At one level this is because it minimises disruption but several EU diplomats have privately whispered to me out it's also about controlling UK
7) This sort of slide from the Commission reveals (in case it was in doubt!) the EU's broader strategic goal. Some will of course see it as entirely legitimate. Some even support it.
8) Others accept that the EU is playing politics but argue that's inevitable and to be expected. Perhaps. But as I've repeatedly argued it undermines the EU claims to not be acting politically.
9) This slide is also somewhat bizarre. Was it really necessary to list separately "Okra, curry leaves from India" and "Guar gum from India"? I may be cynical but it sniffs of trying to add extra lines
10) Same goes for "unauthorised GM rice" in Chinese rice products, and "plastic kitchenware from China". Really all these specific examples such as "food and feed from Fukoshima" could have been wrapped together. Happy to help with drafting if you like @EU_Commission next time 😂
10) What slide also (accidentally?) shows is how agrifood standard checks - phytosanitary checks - are lion's share of those needed at border rather than at a customs office. I don't believe the slide was intended to show this does it show a path to "resolve" Irish question?
11/11) Commission maintains it negotiates only with UK Government but listens to all. In fact it is playing British politics & intervening in parliamentary debates. Yet too few UK commentators treat its statements as anything other than neutral gospel truth. This must change
