rationalskepticism.org

Scot Dutchy wrote:

fisherman wrote:

Scot Dutchy wrote:

fisherman wrote:

What are you gibbering about?

You dont understand what the tory press is doing or you dont understand how negotiations work? What any foreign secretary says is not part of the negotiations. Only what Michel Barnier says matters. Just because he is German foreign secretary is neither here nor there and if his utterances are things the tory press likes to hear then it is tough shit. Merkel has no more power in these negotiations than any other leader of the 27 countries. The agenda has been agreed upon by the 27 countries.
A soft Brexit is nowhere in view first to be talked about are the three demands. Then but only then will trade talks take place based on the four freedoms. Barnier is very rigid in this and whatever the tories want is also neither here nor there.

You mean this is a negotiation?
Note to self- I must stop hanging on to people's personal opinions.

I think for the foreign minister to suggest a destination UK-EU relationship that is something akin to the EEA is eminently reasonable. That it has come from the EU side on the day negotiations start is suggestive to me, that had the UK seen its relationship with EU inside the single market, then there was the possibility of flexibility and compromise. As it stands I think it is really only good as a transitional stage as the UK is likely to choose 3rd country status as a final relationship instead.

It did not come from the EU side. He is not a negotiator. He can say anything he likes but it is of no import. Barnier has been appointed chief negotiator and the agenda has been agreed upon by the 27 countries. This is how the EU works. It does not jump around like a knight in chess. For any change in the agenda the 27 have to be consulted.