You've let us down, the school down, but above all...

Michel Barnier 'worried and disappointed' over Brexit talks impasse

According to el grun today. Makes a change from patronising and superior. Little sign of change n the actual copy though. Maybe Barnier is channeling the old 'I'm not angry, just disappointed' schtick all parents and teachers will recognise? God knows he's tried to be reasonable...

frankly speaking, we have moved, [and] shown in many issues real openness in the past months,” Barnier told the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin.

He said the EU had recognised the UK’s red lines on fair competition, fisheries and governance, including the European court of justice, and was willing to compromise, but the UK was refusing to put []fully formed, legally binding for ever?] proposals on the table on state aid or fisheries. “On all these issues, the UK sides continue to disappoint,” he said....“The EU will not sacrifice its principles [!]  for the sole benefit of the UK.”

He said the UK wanted a zero tariff and zero quota trade deal, but “they will have to move” to achieve that as the EU would not strike a deal that would be to the “detriment of the EU and the single market”...."we need these economic and commercial fair play and critical mechanisms to avoid trade distortions and unfair competitive advantages,” he said [ie keep the cartel]. “This is particularly important in the state aid [who translated this? Google?], where the potential to distort competition using subsidies is clearly significant.”

Lord knows we mustn't distort competition! Fair play for all!

Barnier warned that the UK and the EU faced serious Brexit consequences on 1 January, the end of the transition period, deal or no deal, with customs declarations, health checks and friction for banks and car manufacturers.

Not to mention 50 mile queues at Dover, soggy tomatoes, no new trousers, kids with scurvy and above all, expensive strawberries, blue passports, poison chicken, no more bird migrations and eternal war and terrorism.

 

 

 

 

 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/02/michel-barnier-worried-and-disappointed-over-brexit-talks-impasse