‘The clock is ticking.’ It is surely only a matter of time before Michel Barnier returns to his notorious catchphrase from the Brexit talks. The EU’s chief negotiator is already warning that if a trade deal cannot be agreed ‘within the constraints of the time limits imposed by the British PM’, then there will be ‘consequences’ as the UK and EU will end up trading on World Trade Organization terms. Or, as the Prime Minister prefers to call it, an Australia-style deal.
Last time around, because Theresa May had no majority in parliament, Barnier was able to throw the British side into confusion: it was quite possible that Brexit could be delayed, or even abandoned. But now the Prime Minister has a majority of 80 and doesn’t need to worry about parliament undercutting his negotiating position. Just because the clock is ticking, this doesn’t mean he’ll request extra time via an extension to the transition period. The Prime Minister believes in deadline pressure (typically for a journalist) — and takes the view that nothing would ever get done without one. He also thinks it is politically pointless to drag the negotiations out into next year.
He has three tests for a successful completion of Brexit. Does the European Court of Justice have jurisdiction in the UK on anything other than EU citizens’ rights? Is the UK still sending large payments to Brussels? Does free movement still exist in any way? If these three tests are satisfied, then the Prime Minister does have considerable room for manoeuvre on everything else.
Downing Street is fixated on ensuring that it can deliver on the commitments it has already made
His great achievement has been to press reset. He has successfully persuaded the public that he is the Prime Minister of a new government, rather than being the third Tory PM in a row.
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