Quote Originally Posted by KerrAvon View Post
Yes, I'm sure about that.

Can I just check that you understand that Labour's six bullet point plan includes a commitment to remaining in the Single Market and that the Single Market includes the four freedoms? In other words, you are suggesting that the EU would make concessions on the fundamental principles upon which it is based. You are saying that they would rip up Lisbon and Maastricht. Where would that leave other countries in the EU who don't like freedom of movement?

This is the problem; you don't like the deal on the table and so you choose to believe that a deal that you would like is available. That's what MPs are doing and that's why Parliament is now playing a game of chicken with no deal approaching fast (because that is the only outcome that doesn't need Parliamentary approval).

I could be wrong. Why don't you write to your MP and suggest that a Labour delegation go to the EU negotiating team to ask whether they would give a Labour government a deal where we get all the benefits of membership with none of the costs and obligations that go with it. A Labour Party that achieved that would be swept to power on a landslide.
Yep, I do understand that. But my statement is not suggesting that we remain in the SM and CU, but that we have a deal that aligns with it, that takes in some benefits but obviously makes some concessions. In return, we ask for concessions from them on FoM and ECJ. You seem very reluctant to admit that the EU would budge, bearing in mind that you have spent the last week trying to sell May’s deal to everyone on here based on the generous deal that the EU had offered us! Maybe they would offer us similarly generous terms on a deal that favoured them more than May’s deal?

Haven’t you noticed that Corbyn has had talks with the EU negotiating team. But you are (deliberately I think) reducing this position to us asking for “all the benefits of membership with none of the costs and obligations”. That is clearly not what I am saying – I’m asking that we negotiate for some of the benefits at the expense of some of the obligations. Absolutely this would not please the No Deal Brexiteers but we both know that no deal is possible that will do so. They’re going to take to the streets at anything barring a No deal.

No, I don’t like the deal on the table but I would accept it if it came to that v No Deal. But I think that it is still possible to negotiate better but the only chance of getting a deal through the commons is to go in the direction I’ve stated. Can you think of another deal that might get through? Please suggest it as no one here can seem to see it.

Of course, this is a long shot but at least it’s a possibility. Whether we do go down this route or agree (out of fatigue and boredom) that May’s deal + re-wording of a couple of sentences is the best that we can get, then I guess we have to then put that to the people with Exit on WTO v The Deal and let the public decide once and for all. Can you think of anything fairer and less damaging to the economy?