This today from the Telegraph (paywall):
“The EU still seems to treat the UK like an exiting country trying to negotiate the terms of its withdrawal. It has not quite clocked that the UK has already left.
We are a third party wanting to do a deal with the EU, not applying to remain in its legal orbit.
When Japan, the US or any other country has negotiated with the EU, they are treated as independent nation states. There is never any question of those countries having to follow EU rules and regulations – so why is the EU demanding the UK does just that?
The UK will approach these talks as the constitutional equals of the EU, not some subservient entity. We have the political will and the mandate to hold firm on our three guiding principles – to determine our own rules and regulations, to control our own fishing waters and to make our own laws.
The EU has offered these terms to other countries as part of a quota-free and tariff-free relationship. So why not us?
The EU argues the UK is different because of its proximity and the volume of our trade but this misses the point: the existing provisions in other agreements would be sufficient. They would allow the EU to restrict trade if the UK engaged in unfair competition.
The EU should dispense with the pretence that it is trying to safeguard our environmental standards and workers’ rights – we have those covered. This is about safeguarding its own institutions and principles. It is a political choice by the EU to try and gain some competitive advantage – perfectly valid in trade negotiations but not a necessity to have a fair deal.”
