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UK's Frost: "Late But Deal Possible, Will Talk Until Clear It Isn't"

EU-UK

UK's chief negotiator with the EU Lord Frost tweets:

  • "I look forward to welcoming @MichelBarnier and his team to London and to resuming face-to-face talks tomorrow. We are glad all are safe and well."
  • "Some people are asking me why we are still talking. My answer is that it's my job to do my utmost to see if the conditions for a deal exist. It is late, but a deal is still possible, and I will continue to talk until it's clear that it isn't."
  • "But for a deal to be possible it must fully respect UK sovereignty. That is not just a word - it has practical consequences. That includes: controlling our borders; deciding ourselves on a robust and principled subsidy control system; and controlling our fishing waters."
  • "We look to reach an agreement on this basis, allowing the new beginning to our relationship with the EU which, for our part, we have always wanted. We will continue to work hard to get it – because an agreement on any other basis is not possible."
  • This is some of the clearest rhetoric that has emerged from the UK side in recent times. It highlights the huge task in that clearly the UK gov't wants a deal, but knows that it faces a huge backlash from pro-Brexit backbenchers if the deal is seen to sacrifice the UK's sovereignty over fishing, subsidies, and immigration rules.
  • Still no sign from either side on a potential landing zone for a deal yet.

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