#sufficient progress

19th/20th October 2017

The European Council will decide (in my view, arrogantly) whether the UK has made “sufficient progress” towards their position on three key issues.  If we haven’t, they will continue to refuse to talk to us about trade.  All indications are that they will refuse (based mainly on Michel Barnier’s comments today).

It almost looks like a competition as to who can negotiate more badly.  Theresa May’s Florence speech seemed to offer another two years in the European Single Market and shedloads of British money for no tangible result.  The EU seems to fail to realise what an advantageous deal it could secure right now.  No matter who really has the ball in their court, No Deal looks increasingly likely.

In the meantime, French farmers and German car makers will be left asking the following question.  “Why do British eurosceptics care more about our jobs than our own governments and the EU establishment?”

22nd November 2017

The Chancellor will present his autumn Budget Statement to Parliament.  You can see the whole speech and debate without interruption on the BBC Parliament Channel (Freeview 232).

Probably the most important of the many responses will be by Nicky Morgan, who will speak third.  Although she is a Conservative MP, she speaks as the fairly new Chair of the Treasury Select Committee and hence will be relatively non political and objective.