Trade deals around the world. Lesson One.

If you listened to the Today Programme this morning, after Thought For The Day at around 7:50 there was an interview with the prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong.   He is signing a trade deal with EU today.   

You knew where the interviewer was trying to go.  But Martha Kearney found her path blocked when talking about the UK leaving the EU.   

So, to paraphrase her questioning, how long will it take for the UK to have the same deal once we leave the EU?  Day one was the answer.   

He patiently explained that given the UK was currently a member of the EU, there would be zero problem in the exact same agreement working for Singapore and the UK.   

The EU negotiators must have been wishing he hadn’t said that.  It gives Mrs May the opportunity to say, "know what, we can walk away.  Every other trade deal we have through the EU’s auspices is exactly the same". 

Of course there are a couple of other things more than the simple trade deal.  Singapore is not subject to ECJ decisions.  Nor is it in a restrictive customs union with the EU.  Nor is it in a restrictive single market with the EU.