David Davis is taking some serious criticism this morning after the first day of talks with the EU. See HERE, HERE and HERE. He had told us it was going to be "the row of the summer" but he has capitulated within an hour and accepted the EU's timetable that the main components of a withdrawal agreement must be agreed first before any trade deal can be discussed. This is likely to be the first of many climb downs since Michel Barnier has said he does not intend to offer any concessions (HERE). Ian Dunt has a nice article about it HERE
Worse was his appearance at the press conference. He looked totally frazzled as if he was tired and unkempt and had been drinking a bit too much. He was in sharp contrast with the immaculate Barnier who looked cool and serious throughout.
The Telegraph (HERE) doesn't mention the climb down as if the shock might be too great for their readers but says that a soft Brexit is now dead after both Davis and Barnier confirmed we are leaving the single market and the customs union - "Such a unified public declaration of the intention to press ahead with a “hard” Brexit, sends a clear message to former Remain campaigners in Parliament who still hope membership of the customs union and the single market are up for grabs". They did no such thing, simply reaffirmed our current position.
Meanwhile, at a summit this morning in London of the car industry, which is increasingly finding it's voice, the message to government is that we need a five year transitional period where we are still members of the single market and the customs union, otherwise serious damage will be caused to their industry. Whether this will carry any weight or not with the lunatics in charge of Brexit is doubtful. To them living in penury and eating grass would not be enough to halt Brexit. However, I wouldn't take The Telegraph too seriously, the prospect of a hard Brexit is probably enough to start an exodus of industry and if this happens the government and sensible MPs are bound to rethink it.
In another development, the DfT has said (HERE) the Queens speech with include a series of bills to "ensure Britain gets the infrastructure it needs to see us through Brexit and beyond". So that was the problem! We haven't got the infrastructure because some law prevented it but nobody noticed it. Also included will be a bill about spaceports - as if this is what is somehow holding us back. Delusional.
