“A letter is not the right place to negotiate” is main thrust of the EU’s chief trade negotiator’s written response to yesterday’s letter sent to him by his UK counterpart - criticising the EU position. Barnier then does go on to take issue with 3 of Frost’s main criticisms.. /1

Do you need to know by heart all details in both letters? Not really. It’s pretty you’re-wrong-no-you’re-wrong. Bottom line is either EU+UK make compromises in coming months to agree a deal or they don’t. We can debate letters or which side will have to make bigger compromises /2

But you win no prize for realising that each side thinks the other will have to blink first or more often.. or for knowing that the EU does indeed compromise when says it won’t BUT EU overriding priority remains protecting single market, rather than protecting trade with UK /3