[QUOTE=KerrAvon;39066985] Dealing with your numbered points:

1. For the reasons that I have set out ad nauseum, I suspect that the withdrawal deal on the table is the best we are going to get. It hurt the EU to offer UK access to the customs union, whilst scrapping the CAP and CFP and ending free movement. I doubt if they will give more.

Again, I must point out that it’s a withdrawal deal not a future relationship deal that is currently on the table – the EU isn’t going to be talking about the detail of a future relationship until after we have left, hence the need for a transition period and backstop. And when they do start talking it will take time, not least because at that point individual EU states are going to be looking to include bits that specifically benefit their interests.

You aren’t being asked to buy a future relationship, because it hasn’t been discussed other than in vague terms. This as much as you are getting at the moment:

https://assets.publishing.service.go...lationship.pdf

2. I will have no more say over what Parliament ultimately agrees by way of a permanent new relationship with the EU than I do over whether the withdrawal deal is accepted. I doubt that the deal you describe would get through Parliament. QUOTE]


In response to your responses:

1. Why do you think that it hurts the EU to keep the CU arrangements in place over the transition period? I don't think that there was any danger of an end to that, by nature it is facilitating a transition.

In what way have the EU agreed to scrap CAP, CFP and end free movement, as you claim here? I've noticed the government are claiming this to be the case, but where does it state this to be the case in the agreement thus far? I've gone through the document you linked to but can't see this?


2. You claim powerlessness, and that you have no say in any part of future proceedings. Why so passive? It's true that your party are blackmailing us with 'This Deal or No Deal' but that just isn't the case. But lot's of us are standing up to it and encouraging our MPs to reject it until we see a clear future commitment to protecting a) the economy via the CU and b) protection of our workers rights and c) protection of the environment. I personally do not care that this will involve compromise over free movement and ECJ - simply as I don't trust May, and most certainly not Mogg et al to protect these rights in the event of our detachment from the EU. You may doubt that this type of deal would get through parliament - but would any? Why not fight for our type of deal as opposed to capitulation.

I don't doubt for a second that should the EU get a sense that this type of deal was on the cards via a change of UK negotiating team, be it via general election or a wish from the public that they wanted a 2nd referendum (as this was seen as the preferred outcome in recent polling when compared to May's deal or No Deal, the EU would give us the time required to reach a new deal or vote to end the deal if the public had the option of May's Deal/No Deal/Remain.

I think however that there is a danger if May falls and the Tories elect a hard Brexiteer, who rip up the deal and ask the EU to renegotiate. I think that the EU would walk away at that point as there would be no point even starting. I concede that is a danger. Starmer seems to be anticipating that: https://www.theguardian.com/politics...no-deal-brexit. This would be a good outcome and allow parliament (and us if it comes to that) to vote without a loaded gun pointing at our own heads.