The latest draft Withdrawal Agreement has been published (HERE) with the text coloured in to indicate where we are in agreement (green), where policy objectives are agreed but the text is not (yellow) and the rest, where negotiations are still ongoing. In keeping with the government's strategy so far, there are a few more concessions by the UK. No doubt many more will follow. This allows the Brexiteer outrage to subside before the next lot of concessions are handed over. They can only take so much disappointment in one lot.
A Scottish Conservative MP said the fishing policy concessions will go down like "a pint of cold sick" (HERE). And Jacob Rees-Mogg is to travel up the Thames today (HERE) throwing fish into the water as a protest. On the Brexiteer side there is near universal condemnation of the draft agreement but as someone commented, the UK were so desperate to get a transition deal they finally agreed to everything. This was obvious from the start.
The Daily Express (HERE) has an article describing it as a "walkover" where "the EU appears to have prevailed on every substantial point.
What is perhaps slowly percolating through to the leavers is how little negotiating strength we have in reality. This will become even more apparent when trade talks start. As December 2020 approaches and we are still unprepared, the same scenario will play out. The EU will play hardball and will eventually win everything.
The Irish border problem is one in yellow. In other words we agree with what is said but not in the way the EU say it. The problem remains unresolved.
The Irish border problem is one in yellow. In other words we agree with what is said but not in the way the EU say it. The problem remains unresolved.
