Round two of the negotiations will restart again next week and reports this morning are suggesting that Michael Gove is planning to present the EU with a draft Free Trade Agreement before the talks kick-off. This is a strategy that, according to the former Australian trade negotiator Dmitry Grozoubinski could have incredibly dangerous consequences. On Tuesday Mr Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said the document will be among a number of legal texts the UK plans to publish before talks resume. The UK’s Brexit negotiator David Frost reiterated the message, tweeting: “We will table legal texts including a draft FTA before Round 2 next week.”
This announcement is seen by some as a sign that the Government may be readying a take-it-or-leave-it offer to the EU. However, the former Australian trade negotiator Dmitry Grozoubinski has said that this strategy is not only unusual but could also be incredibly detrimental to the British cause. Mr Grozoubinski yesterday said on Twitter: “It’s not usual for negotiating parties to produce draft versions of chapters they’d like to see in an FTA. It is unusual for one party to produce a literal draft agreement in its entirety and present it publicly.”
Subsequent Tweets Dmitry Grozoubinski read: “If they do go public or if the draft leaks, it means whatever final deal is reached with the EU, the UK negotiators will have to explain not only any divergence from the high level negotiating mandate, but also literally every word of divergence from this draft FTA text. The EU is often said to have successfully weaponised transparency against the UK in Brexit Phase I, so this may be an attempt to double down and turn the tables”.
“The UK strategy could be nailing its trousers to the mast in as many ways as possible to present the EU with a ‘take it or leave it’ deal, while furiously signalling the UK can live with either”.
Many are questioning why the British team are choosing to do this and are hoping they change their mind.
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Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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