Leaked

This morning, the Labour Party "leaked" a document detailing the series meetings between the UK and US on a potential trade policy.

I say leaked as it was leaked several weeks ago to The Sun, who did nothing.

Depending on who you listen to, it means something or nothing.

What we can say is that any trade deal, with anyone, the US the EU, is about trade-offs, you get something, the other side gets something. Usually the bigger side gets more of it wants than the smaller side. This is leverage.

Going into negotiations in the hope the other side, the US, will be nice to you, the UK, is beyond wishful thinking.

A lot of what it contains, it is reported, is nothing you wouldn't expect to find in two sides sounding each other out, and then there is talk of rights and copyrights. Which should sound alarm bells. This is the first tangible results of a potential trade talk with the UK. The Government can pretend its just about what the UK wants, or is honest that it will come, any deal will come, with compromises, and most of those compromises will be worse that whatever drove us away from the EU.

But with Johnson as the PM, the chance of honesty in anything is slim.