A good deal is in everyones interest, not least for the rEU.

I’m not sure that Messrs Barnier and Tusk have got the message.  It is in their interest as much as ours in the UK to talk about the future.  Listening to Mr Tusk after his meeting in Downing Street today suggests he is in denial.  

Let’s take trade.  The myth that we won’t be able to trade with the single market.  Well, we won’t be in the single market so it’s true, we won’t be trading in it.  But then, neither is any other country in the world.  So will we be able to buy and sell goods from and to the remainder European Union (rEU)?  You bet we will.  On the same basis as every other non EU country on the planet.  And Messrs Tusk and Barnier can’t stop us.  And they know that.  And we know that they know that we know that.  

Let’s talk money.  The myth that we owe the EU loads of money.  Actually, legally we don’t owe them anything.  Like leaving a golf club, you may have voted for something a few years ago, but the club cannot come to you and say, you voted three years ago for something, you have to keep paying even once you leave.  How ridiculous.  But if they are a nice group of people you may say “well, it was fun when I was a member and you continue to be good friends, so let me make a contribution to the costs of the new clubhouse or whatever”. But it is morally right if we have committed to fund something, we should continue to do so till we leave the EU.  I think Mrs May has made that clear.  And for the duration of the programme if it extends past the date we leave the EU.  But Mr Tusk and Barnier can’t stop us walking away and pay nothing if we so chose to.  And they know that.  And we know that they know that we know that.   

At the end of the day, the UK can walk away as no deal could indeed be better than a bad deal.  And they know that.  And we know that they know that we know that.