Frost Rejects Brexit Extension

David Frost said:

"The Government's position is pretty clear.

"We are not going to ask for an extension and if the EU asks for one we will not agree to one.

"I think that is part of the framework now and we are working to an end of year deadline."

As Frost knows, any extension would mean that the UK will be forced to pay more to the EU and will be trapped in the seven year budget cycle.

Timing Is Everything!

On the 15th of May leaders of the smaller opposition parties in Westminster (not Labour) wrote to Barnier asking for a Brexit extension.

I am sure that they wouldn't have known that there was going to be an anti Cumings media onslaught over the coming weekend, that might have got him sacked. However, yesterday Barnier responded to them by saying an extension could be granted if requested and agreed upon (along with an agreement on UK funding) by 1 July.

I am sure that Barnier has not been following the Cummings' story, and I am sure that he didn't write/send that letter in the expectation that Cummings would be gone by then.

That being said, Cummings hasn't gone and it's not up to the leaders of the minor parties to speak on behalf of the government, nor is it up the Barnier to make an offer to people who don't run the country.

Merkel's Euro500BN Grand Gesture To Save The EU

"Big concern is that the economic crisis will destroy the EU single market & even threaten the future of the EU. Chancellor Merkel needed a “grand gesture” to prove she had not abandoned southern European nations hit hard by the virus.
https://t.co/v8IT7WnHao via @financialtimes

— Theresa Fallon (@TheresaAFallon) May 22, 2020

Covid Has Stiffened Britain's Resolve

In the event that the EU and Britain cannot reach an agreement for a post transit trading relationship, Britain will rvert to WTO terms.

There would be border checks and tariffs.

As the Spectator points out, in normal times this would be regarded as the biggest economic shift in a generation. However, coronavirus has collapsed world trade and travel, dwarfing any changes Brexit might bring.

Britain has in effect already crossed that Rubicon, along with every other country in the world.

It's a new game with a new rules!

Frost Eviscerates EU's Unbalanced and Undemocratic Proposals

I suspect that Barnier has very little room for manoeuvre, as the EU has little intention to shift its stance.

As such, once this becomes pretty much set by the end of June, it will be necessary to up the ante for a "no agreement" end of transition on 31 December 2020.

Little Progress On Post Transition Agreement

NEW-

UK Brexit negotiator David Frost:

“I regret however that we made very little progress towards agreement on the most significant outstanding issues between us. "

🇬🇧🇪🇺

— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) May 15, 2020

Soros Foresees The End of The EU

George Soros: Germany's ECB Ruling May Spell 'the End of the EU as We Know It' https://t.co/Ex7oI0DxAz pic.twitter.com/j0GGIaK5T7

— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) May 12, 2020