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It needs a decent length article to explain everything that has happened in UK-EU talks in the last few days, and what might come next, and @BBCkatyaadler obliges. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54609383
The funny version of UK-EU talks progress... https://twitter.com/RobDotHutton/status/1318290155246157824
Anyway, where we are in talks today is that for a deal the UK will have to compromise on state aid, the Internal Market Bill, and governance, and the EU on fish. Its where we were this time last week, and three months ago. The EU will do this, will the UK? The rest is noise.
(It is reasonable to think much of the UK's performance art with regard to EU talks is to cover up the PM's failure to make a decision on whether to go for the deal or not, rather than to show toughness. We still wait.) https://twitter.com/Mij_Europe/status/1318445929737998337
Difficult to reach mutual deals if you neither understand nor care about the other side, and just wish to impose your view. https://twitter.com/henrymance/status/1318307824884158466
Worth a reminder that if and when the PM decides he wants the EU deal on offer a massive selling job is going to have to start with the Brexit ultras including many on the backbenches. No sign yet, and no sign of a desire to do so. Biggest obstacle to a deal by far.
An incredibly important point - nobody in the UK actively *wants* the EU deal on offer except insofar as being not as bad as something else. A difficult basis to sell a deal. https://twitter.com/SteedRO/status/1318472500578275329
This might even understate the difficulties. https://twitter.com/AntonSpisak/status/1318476986667466753
The divorcing couple schedule another call to decide whether it really is final or they should give it one last go... https://twitter.com/BBCkatyaadler/status/1318495952311848962
Where "if the EU fundamentally changes their approach and make clear they have done so" can best be interpreted to mean "if the UK government chooses to keep talking". Incidentally we could have a deal today if the PM wanted (aka 'political agreement') https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1318518366882115589
There are no fundamental issues to be resolved in UK-EU talks, just is the UK willing to agree constraints in return for zero tariffs, and accept the Northern Ireland protocol stands as is. The EU already agreed to drop maximalist demands on fish and LPF. https://twitter.com/JamesCrisp6/status/1318513686412201985
Terse. And not exactly screaming "yes UK you can have whatever you want". https://twitter.com/MichelBarnier/status/1318548361079885827
We appear to be in a stand-off over the UK ask that the EU show a fundamental change of approach, which no negotiator should ever demand as it cannot be met without loss of face.
Dismal. https://twitter.com/MarkerJParker/status/1318553766019371013
Dismal. https://twitter.com/MarkerJParker/status/1318553766019371013
Sorry to say that right now the UK government is blocking any path to an EU deal. Just as the UK side need to manage tricky domestic stakeholders, so does the EU, and right now those stakeholders think the UK is playing silly games.
By this stage if approaching a trade deal the lead negotiators should be helping their counterpart deal with domestic difficulties. Instead last week both sides made things worse for the other, and this week the UK have continued the slide. Something needs to change quickly.
Yup, that sounds like the plan. But the EU can't and won't make the choice between deal and no-deal for the PM. He has to make it, and has enough information to do so. Trouble is it wasn't the choice he wanted. https://twitter.com/lisaocarroll/status/1318553785048989698
As I suggested the response from the EU side to the UK. Not positive. https://twitter.com/BBCkatyaadler/status/1318563896656003072
