Customs Union

It’s often said ministers are wasting time talking among themselves rather than negotiating. Now they aren’t even talking among themselves.

George Bridges is giving ex-colleagues advice in advance of Chequers’ summit. This is one point where former Brexit minister is spot on.

Leaked remarks show foreign secretary worried we’ll be “locked in orbit” around EU. He’s right. Time to pull the rip cord?

May avoided confrontation with Davis by putting an unrealistic end-2021 timetable on her backstop. She’ll get confrontation with EU instead.

Double-speak has reached new depths. Cabinet ministers are squabbling over whether a “time-limited” backstop should have a time limit.

MPs won’t back either Labour’s amendment or the original Lords one. But they might back a better version if peers propose it in “ping pong”.

Theresa May wants a time-limited Customs and Regulatory Alignment Period (CRAP). The EU will insist it’s indefinite. How miserable.

When MPs vote on EU Withdrawal Bill, they must be patriots. This is a time where putting the country first is also good for their party.

Being told by MPs what to do would be humiliating. But it would help resolve conflicts in her Cabinet and with the EU.

Squabbling ministers must spend recess agreeing wording of government’s Brexit white paper. They might as well have gone on holiday.

PM’s scheme to stay in customs union indefinitely demonstrates both Johnson’s impotence in Cabinet and her impotence in Brexit talks.

May’s plan to keep us in customs union until alternative scheme can work won’t satisfy EU, Brexiters or patriotic pro-European Brits.