Read on Twitter
The latest development in an 'anti-any-EU-deal' campaign that has been growing among Brexit circles in recent weeks. Sovereignty so defined as to require the Northern Ireland Protocol to be rescinded in a deal, therefore a test which won't be met. https://twitter.com/christopherhope/status/1331894655907192832
A big problem for the PM is no trade deal wouldn't be the end of the Brexit ultra revolt, as the next stage will be to seek a UK renunciation of the Withdrawal Agreement, or at the very least non implementation of the Northern Irelant protocol.
So in that decision which the PM has to take imminently he has to decide whether to side with the Brexit ultras on full collision course with EU and US, side in part for no-deal but quietly implement the NI protocol, or split and do the deal.
The path of least resistance for the PM is no EU trade deal but quietly implement the Withdrawal Agreement while claiming not to be doing so.
And there is nothing the EU can do now to help the UK's decision. The details of the level playing field don't really interest Conservative backbenchers. Fish do, but the EU already know that and would need to reract accordingly. This is now all on the PM.
Q: Why does the ERG have such sway on the PM when he has a comfortable majority? A: Because the Conservative Party is now strongly EU-hostile and sufficient MPs could make the PM's position very uncomfortable. Would they really? Will the PM seek to call their bluff? TBC...
