transition

PM claimed she was setting out road to Brexit in her speech on Friday. She is actually setting out on road to serfdom.

May’s speech contains plans to turn us into vassals. Yet Brexit ayatollah says those who complain are nitpicking.

She says no PM could agree EU’s Ireland proposals. But she did precisely that in her pre-Xmas panic. Only good solution is to stay in EU.

U-turn on EU citizens, EU to stop our budget rebate and vague end date all point to lengthy, expensive transition. How’s that a good Brexit?

It’s good government admits two-year stopgap may not be long enough. But we’ll be a rule-taker and pay perhaps £12bn for each extra year.

We haven’t heard much about Gibraltar and Brexit recently. But the next phase of talks will force ministers to face harsh reality.

Contrast in behaviour between Brussels and Westminster is almost embarrassing as EU negotiator Barnier warns “transition is not a given”.

It means EU may just set its own terms for a future deal - and could kibosh transition deal too as it means Irish question is up in air.

MPs grilled Brexit secretary over unrealistic timetables and Brexiters accused him of making UK a “vassal state”.

Trade body is nudging government towards a saner Brexit. But its “softly, softly” approach doesn’t match the urgency of the crisis.

May says a two-year transition is enough. It isn’t. She may hope it’ll then be easy to get an extension. It won’t. It’s time she fessed up.

Achieving even a standstill agreement promises to be far from easy.