Keir Starmer wants to sign a new agreement with the EU — one which would smooth disruption to trade, solve the Northern Ireland border issue, and make life simpler for farmers, all in one go.
But there’s a catch.
EU officials have told POLITICO that Brussels would be interested in such a deal — known as a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement — only if London was willing to accept European Court of Justice (ECJ) oversight.
“There is no doubt in our mind” that ECJ oversight would be a “prerequisite” for such an agreement, said a senior EU official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the matter.
I feel like you took my comment to be a critique of the EU’s position, which is not what I was trying to say at all.
I presume that such an agreement would be in the EUs interest - hence the expression of such. Public clarification at this stage of the ‘cost’- as you put it - is a great way to take it off the official policy booklet. Which doesn’t make sense to me.
I am aware that UK politics is stupid. I live here.
I apologize - I know I sometimes come across a bit pugilistic when I don’t actually intend to. It’s more that I am deeply frustrated by the situation, even as an outside observer.
For what it’s worth, I empathize with you on how frustrating our political ”leaders” often are. Feels like they’re pretty much all aggressively competing for the Upper Class Twit of the Year award on both sides of the pond :(