For a neighbouring state there is no such thing as an endgame in negotiations with the EU. There is just the next negotiation after the current negotiation

Every aspect of any deal agreed between the UK and EU before or after 1 January 2021 that irritates UK voters in everyday life will lead to every future UK government seeking new agreements and arrangements with the EU in almost every policy field.

There is no final deal.

Every Prime Minister after Boris Johnson will face demands from and make commitments to businesses, party activists and voters that this or that aspect of relations with the EU affecting everyday life will be sorted.

The EU will never get done in UK politics.

Yet so much Brexit reporting and commentary focuses on the 1 January 2021 transition deadline as if it will generate outcomed fixed in time.

Deal or no deal UK, relations with the EU will be in a constant state of flux, particularly of the UK Union state starts breaking up.

A state crisis escalates beyond control when factors fuelling internal instability become inextricably linked with factors fuelling instability in relations with the world outside.