[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Talk about twisting it, when you are in complete denial about the government's position on this. They have said consistently there will be no extension. The only reason they have failed to deliver on such promises in the past is because the House of Commons did all it could in various attempts to ensure Brexit did not happen.

I'm fully aware of the Government's stated position, and as Chris notes this will be the stated position right up until it isn't. That's how poisonous our political discourse has become in recent times - Government can't be seen to be thinking without being accused of a 'u-turn', 'a betrayal' or similar. Thus it finds it easier to trot out a line until it decides to adopt another one.

That barrier is no longer there. It's just between the Government and the EU now.

While I cannot say absolutely for certain that the trade agreement will be done by the end of the year, what you keep doing is contradicting what the government say, with just your own specious arguments to justify your comments. You have no evidence whatsoever to claim the government is painting a false picture of when we will be free of EU rules. It's pure speculation. Nothing more, nothing less. So padon me for suggesting that your claim to speak for the government is laughable.

At no point have I ever claimed to speak for the Government - I'm simply pointing out that you clearly haven't been following politics very closely if you think that such a major policy announcement would come out, unexpected and uncontrolled, at half 5 on a Wednesday.

Special Advisers and communications teams aren't paid handsomely for such a major policy change to come out so haphazardly.

As I said before, there are separate teams working on trade deals that are not being diverted by the coronavirus. It is possible to do more than one thing at a time, you know.

As before - you clearly fail to understand the machine that is the Civil Service if you think that none of the people or priorities cross cut between Coronavirus response and future trading relationship with the EU.

Why do you keep harping on that Brexit is done? What are you trying to prove? Yes, we've left the EU, but we are still subject to its rules.

Time limited, and importantly by our own agreement.

I am very clear that what we are talking about now is negotiating a no tariff trade deal with the EU, as well as address all the regulatory provisions that need to be put in place to accommodate the new arrangements, at the same time as we negotiate a trade deal with the US and other countries. Yes, that means we do more than one thing at a time.

As for me being 'unnecessarily divisive', all I'm doing is supporting the government line on Brexit and the new trade deals we wish to negotiate. You are the one questioning everything, not me!

Supporting the Government line unquestionably doesn't mean you aren't stoking division.

I recognise that you aren't questioning what you are being spoon fed Old Boy, but I can't control your inability to engage in critical analysis of events.