Brexit Talks - Bozo Team Sent Home Early

There were face to face talks in Brussels this week between the UK delegation, led by chief negotiator David Frost, and the EU team fronted as usual by Michel Barnier. And that is about all that some observers can agree on: as so often, the agenda of those reporting dictates how the story is framed. What is in no doubt, however, is that the talks ended not today, as might have been expected, but yesterday.

Hello, good evening, and Oh Shit

As might be expected, the Daily Brexit, still called the Express, said the Rotten Foreigners Done It: “Remainer campaigners PANIC as Brexit talks end a day early with serious divergences … BREXIT talks finished a day early and even the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barner [sic] has been criticised by pro-EU group, Best for Britain as the two sides failed to make progress”. They criticised both teams, but hey ho.

The Independent, though, saw things differently. “Brexit trade talks in Brussels have ended a day early as David Frost, the UK’s chief negotiator, warned that ‘significant differences’ remain between the two sides … by Thursday lunchtime, officials said they had got as far as they could this week, despite the planned schedule including sessions later in the day and a further meeting on Friday”. And the Irish Times gave a hint of what really happened.

Here all day. Up to a point

“The abrupt end of the latest round of talks between Britain and the European Union a day earlier than planned was not only surprising but perplexing … the language on both sides was restrained and Frost’s had none of the belligerence that often characterises his rhetoric towards Brussels”. Then came a most revealing passage.

“Before this week’s talks began, the EU told Britain it was ready to compromise in order to accommodate the red lines Boris Johnson identified … The Europeans hoped that Britain would respond with a step towards compromise of its own but by the time the talks ended on Thursday, Frost had produced no such offer. During the course of the week, it became clear that unless Britain makes a substantial move within days, there will be no significant progress this month”. We wanted compromise. It was offered. We failed to reciprocate.

It was on Frost and his team to make a move. A move was not forthcoming. So there was no point in continuing - until a move was forthcoming. The talk of Frost being “restrained” is key. That tells you what really happened: he wasn’t prepared to do what he claims the EU won’t do - compromise - so the EU side ended the talks round.

As Jason Hunter put it, “Looks like the UK 'negotiating' team were kicked out of Brussels for being time wasters. Who woulda thunk that after Boris said he was gonna ‘put a tiger in the tank’ for these talks!”. Our side, it seems, flunked the job interview and were sent home early. Carrying on would have been no more than a waste of time.

That is the level to which the UK delegation has sunk. So it’s going to come down to a situation not unlike that of the Japanese deal, where the other side draws up the deal, gives us six weeks’ notice, and tells us to sign, or else.

Most people would call that abject humiliation. But remember, we’re taking back control.

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