Well, I'm shocked. I asked earlier what next after Salzburg and then the PM made what can only be described as the most extraordinary statement (HERE). All of the anger from yesterday and built up overnight came pouring out. She almost quivered as she delivered a broadside at the EU for having the temerity to tell her the Chequers plan wouldn't work. I am afraid we had school teachers exactly like Mrs May sixty years ago and you could always tell when they had lost it, they just went off on a ridiculous tirade. We just laughed more.
I suspect this is what the EU27 will do. The speaking-very-slowly-and-sternly-to-make-sure they-understand as if addressing some hard of hearing imbeciles will not be well received.
She seemed to be particularly incensed that Donald Tusk hadn't explained why her proposals would undermine the single market. Honestly, if she doesn't understand this at this point in the negotiations with just four weeks left, we really are in deep trouble. She accuses him of having no counter proposals either, in spite of months of Barnier carefully, patiently and repeatedly setting out the options.
This is coming from the writer of the Article 50 letter (HERE) page 4, paragraph (i):
"We should engage with one another constructively and respectfully, in a spirit of sincere cooperation. Since I became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom I have listened carefully to you, to my fellow EU Heads of Government and the Presidents of the European Commission and Parliament. That is why the United Kingdom does not seek membership of the single market: we understand and respect your position that the four freedoms of the single market are indivisible and there can be no "cherry picking". We also understand that there will be consequences for the UK of leaving the EU: we know that we will lose influence over the rules that affect the European economy. We also know that UK companies will, as they trade within the EU, have to align with rules agreed by institutions of which we are no longer a part - just as UK companies do in other overseas markets".
She has not listened carefully enough if she does not understand why a "common rule book" for goods is essentially "cherry picking" the single market. Remaining in the EEA she said would mean "accepting freedom of movement" as if this was a surprise. The EU have been telling her (and she has been acknowledging) that the four freedoms are indivisible but she still has difficulty accepting the idea.
Mrs May says:
[On the economic relationship] the EU is still only offering us two options.
"The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU. [..] That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago".
"The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea. Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea".
This is like voting to leave a club and then expecting them to keep offering us options until we find one that we like that will allow us to essentially remain a member of the club without all that fiddly stuff about subscriptions and rules. One feels like standing up and shouting WE VOTED TO LEAVE PLEASE JUST LEAVE.
Amazingly, she ends by saying, "At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side’s proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals. So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress".
The EU belongs to the members, they don't have to give any "detailed explanation" or offer and "counter proposals". WE VOTED TO LEAVE.
