Kevin Featherstone, Head of the LSE European Institute, argues that 2018 might be the year when the EU and UK negotiators are going to be forced to decide what Brexit actually means. He goes on to explain what existing models of trading relationships with the EU, the UK might try to emulate.
This post represents the views of the author and not those of the Brexit blog, nor the LSE.
Kevin Featherstone is Eleftherios Venizelos Professor of Contemporary Greek Studies and Head of the European Institute at the London School of Economics.
I very much enjoyed Prof Featherstones blog. There is much loose talk about the benefits of the Canadian model for Brexit, but as Prof Featherstone points out, the benefits are non existenet if similar concessions for the services sector are not successfully negotiated in.
When will our government stop acting in a vacuum and send out self congratulatory messages about their internal discussions. It is about time that they admitted that ‘it takes two to tango’, and if the EU does not warm to what we need, then we will not get anywhere.
Prime Minister, start to lead. You are an intelligent person. Tell it to the public as it is. Churchillian leadership is required.
martin selmayr- the ‘monster of berlaymont” selmayr now runs the E.U.
-he runs the show now, and i know already what to expect.
https://www.politico.eu/article/monster-at-the-berlaymont-martin-selmayr-european-commission-jean-claude-juncker/
So it looks like it will be the ‘Hotel California’ brexit model – you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave…