[Sephiroth]

I suspect that they knew what was going to happen. They inherited the Withdrawal Agreement from Theresa May, which included the NI Protocol. They thus expected the unrest and dissatisfaction that transpired and anticipated the need and opportunity to renegotiate the NI Protocol. All the foregoing, imo.

Question is, did they think the EU would budge on anything? The EU has suspended their legal action - that's easy and gives us nothing of substance. They'll then say/are saying that they (EU) have given ground now it's for the UK to do so.

In other words, the UK is in as big a pickle now as it was 7 months ago. Of course, I still deprecate the EU's intransigence and unwillingness not to implement the NI Protocol with greater sensibility for peace in NI.