Frosty relationships....
Over the weekend I took the time to read Lord Frost’s speech to the British Irish Association last week and my word was it a hard slog.
Not so much the style which is plodding but the logic, if you can call it that, was staggering.
The very NIP that Lord Frost negotiated 9 months ago and which the British government has failed to implement, will have to go. It isn’t just that it doesn’t work in practise and needs reforming, the whole thing is a disaster.
But who is the blame? Why the EU of course! Which seems to have forced a deal on a subordinate nation, rather than creating an agreement between equals. How they managed to do this to the noble Lord is difficult to imagine, but he has only just noticed that they have. He also thinks the NIP has nothing to do with preserving the Single Market, which must be news to the EU.
The speech goes on to claim that the government would be perfectly entitled to tear up the NIP, but is feeling generous and won’t do that, yet.
The whole tone however is the worst thing; British arrogance and exceptionalism, demanding, hectoring, patronising and vainglorious.
In short, tone deaf and bound to be read with utter despair across Europe. Despair that the UK government has been reduced to this.
Lord Frost warns that without re-negotiation the relationship between the UK and the EU will be tarnished by “cold mistrust”.
Really? Who could have guessed?
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.