Edging closer

As you know, Brexit and reality don't mix well. But there is the reality that the EU is on our doorstep and UK businesses would like to continue trading with it.

This will not change, though there might be bumps in the road.

So, news came today that there might be agreements in some kind of LPF structure. This, like all movements would only happen if it was in the EU's interest for it to happen. The UK is not and will not force the EU to do something that is against its interests or outside the rules of the SM, and to a lesser extent WTO rules

If the EU moves on something, its because the UK was stronger, so Brexit was right.

If the EU refuses to move, it is punishing the UK, so Brexit was right.

So goes the Brexiteer thinking.

But as I said, a quick deal is barely better than no deal, and many policy areas outside trade are not covered at all. Like chemicals, which all of Europe follows common standards, which the UK helped create, but the UK will leave, not because it saves money or anything, but because its an EU function. A UK equivalent will do the same, but for suppliers they would have to be certified against both standards, even if they were the same, twice the cost. Twice the red tape, which I seem to recall Brexit was supposed to reduce, but of course will only multiply many times over.

This deal was expected to be done by "October", remember it needs to be ratified, because it's a mixed deal, not only National Parliaments, but some regional ones too. All takes time, two months would not be enough. But, the EU always does deals at the last minute the Brexiteers say. On internal treaties, yes, but not with time pressured international ones.