BritInParis

My point. This was rejected by the French and Dutch electorates in 2005.

Both are members of the single market, Norway, like Iceland and Liechtenstein, through its membership of the EEA and Switzerland through a series of bespoke bilateral treaties. The UK will not be staying in the single market.

Novocastrian

You are Liam Fox and I claim my £5.

Editha

Why are you so certain Britain will not remain in the single market? The DUP want Northern Ireland to remain in both the single market and the customs union.

BritInParis

Because it's both Conservative and Labour party policy. As for the DUP, they have long been highly Eurosceptic. Their manifesto for the general election called for the UK to leave both the single market and the customs union so I'm not exactly sure why you would think otherwise.

Richard8655

Just to add this item to this interesting discussion:

Per Guardian June 12, 2017:

Labour would like the possibility of a form of membership of the single market to be one of the starting points of negotiations to leave the EU, the party’s shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, has said.

While he conceded this would be difficult to achieve while also imposing restrictions on the free movement of people, Starmer criticised the government for pre-emptively ruling out single market membership – even though this is what his own leader has done.

Editha

I think you need to read more on both the DUP's and the Labour Party's stance on Brexit.

BritInParis

Starmer's comments typify Labour's confused thinking on the subject. Actually it's almost if they have taken Boris's half-jovial 'have your cake and eat it' comment and turned into policy - they want to somehow stay within the single market whilst ending freedom of movement, something all sides agree is not possible.

As Richard8655 has pointed out the shadow cabinet's pronouncements on this subject, like quite a few other subjects, doesn't necessarily gel with Labour's published policy but please provide a source that suggests that the DUP wants to stay in either the single market or the customs union. I suggest you won't find one.

holly_1948

The UK has one piece of leverage. The UK can stop sending monies to Brussels. Just turn the tap off.
On some flimsy rationale, such as suspicion that money after reaching Brussels in the past has been fraudulently converted by Russian cyberattack.
Cutting off their money will get their attention really fast. It will be amazing how flexible they will suddenly become when their personal income depends on it!

The overdue (unpaid) money can go into an "escrow account" from which those British entities (eg farmers) due funds from Brussels can be paid if financial reprisals were to happen, (after those British farmers etc. have satisfied the UK authorities that they are not Russian agents).
The Russians are blamed for anything and everything else, so why not use them for this purpose? Or if not the Russians then the Qataris or ISIS or whomever.

Editha

????

END OF HARD BREXIT: The letter written by DUP calling for May to KEEP free movement | Politics | News | Express.co.uk

I hate linking to the Express, but the FT has a paywall and I'm a bit rushed. Widely reported. Like I said, you should read more Bip.

BritInParis

There's nothing in that letter that contradicts the DUP manifesto. I would suggest reading the actual content rather than the lurid headlines.

Richard8655

It's interesting the Sunday Express is resurrecting correspondence that's almost a year old. I would say much has changed since then, especially being asked to help govern the nation. I think Bip is correct in that DUP isn't looking to stay in the single market as much as ensure smooth trade relations and free labour movement across their border with the Irish Republic. But that may pose some contradictions with Brexit.

BritInParis

Indeed, which is confirmed by their manifesto. This mirrors the government's desire for a 'frictionless' trade deal.

scot47

Yanis Varoufakis was right. the day after the referendum he said "People in Britain have not realised that this means they will be negotiating for YEARS"

holly_1948

Not without precedent though.
Presently the Isle of Man has (in regards to the EU) something like the thing that the DUP wants for NI.

holly_1948

Negotiations may be brief or protracted. But in the end they will break down and come to nought. A complete waste of time and energy even trying to negotiate.