pogs when you say we’ve been in a debate since the referendum I assume by that you mean that the debate is between the U.K.
The debate with the EU is hardly off the starting block, if at all.
With regard to a bespoke deal. The EU 27 made it crystal clear in their last press announcement that the only deal on offer will be either Norway or CETA. As we have locked ourselves into the arrangements regarding Ireland, I can’t see how CETA can work, and in any case our main export being services CETA has nothing to say about that so it seems that the only deal on offer will be Norway, who is in the SM but not the CU.
The reason that we will have to adhere to the 4 pillars if we want a Norway type deal is obvious and doesn’t need explaining to you I am sure.
I am not sure that you are right to be so certain on no 2nd referendum, there is a sea change going on at the moment, particularly as it becomes more and more clear what a future post Brexit Britain will look like.
As far as I am concerned the biggest worry is that the government simply does not know what it wants and shows no sign of beginning to address this problem, other than having major rows between themselves. They only have about 9 months to put together the most complicated plan ever asked of a government. I have no confidence that this will happen.
The EU does know what it wants, and (unless the U.K. has a total change of positioning,) that is exactly what the U.K. will get.
It is obvious to me and I’m sure many others that we need to extend Article 50 beyond the 2 years, but the headbangers will do everything in their power to prevent this.
My question is why? Why not give the U.K. every chance it has to get this right? What is the rush?
Why can’t we sit back and decide if it is the right decision?