That’s a fair point 
This transition period thing…I’ve got to say that on the ground I haven’t seen much transitioning going on. Granted that I’m not anywhere near a point of entry but I’ve seen nothing that would visibly make it obvious that we’ve left the EU or that things are going to be different come the new year. I haven’t even been targeted with advertising for nuclear bunkers, or courses on how to live off the land. I feel woefully underprepared.
It’s being reported that Joe Anderson has also been suspended from the Labour Party pending the outcome of the investigation.
I don’t think the DUP or most unionists would agree with that
And there are rumours that the 72 year old from Aigburth is none other than Derek Hatton…
The reason is that the government is walking us over the abyss and has no hope for January. Waily waily!
Or they’re fairly sure it will be cool.
It will be cool.
If the recent past has taught us anything it’s definitely that goverments not preparing for something must mean there’s nothing to worry about it.
The conditions for a post-Brexit trade deal have not been met, negotiators for the UK and EU have said, as talks to reach a deal are paused.
Michel Barnier and David Frost have said “significant divergences” remained between the two sides.
“On this basis, they agreed to pause the talks in order to brief their principals on the state of play of the negotiations.”
Earlier, Boris Johnson’s spokesman said the government was “committed to working hard to try and reach agreement” but emphasised that the UK couldn’t “agree a deal that doesn’t allow us to take back control”.
Meanwhile, France’s Europe minister, Clement Beaune, warned that his country could “veto” a deal if it did not satisfy their demands.
The European Parliament would need to ratify any deal before it can be implemented and UK MPs are likely to get the chance to vote on legislation implementing the agreement.
This suggests to me, that the probability of getting a trade deal agreed before the New Year is somewhat less than that of a snowball’s chance in hell.
Control of what exactly?
What an utterly bizarre comment. Obviously designed to feed the support but to me it seems like they’ve got nothing. A really bad bluff in poker if you like.
Taking back control of sabre rattling, and jingoism, obviously.
Maybe so, but I didn’t say only ones, I was referring just as between the two parties involved in the talks. The UK seems less concerned about protecting its internal market than the EU for some reason.
Does that not concern you? That a foreign entity wants to look after the interests of the UK more than the UK government?
£5 to a charity of your choice says we’ll agree a deal.
No, I can see what I said could be interpreted that way but I meant that the EU were more concerned about its internal market (the single market) than the UK was about its own internal market (the UK).
Within what time frame? 
1st Jan 2021
I certainly didn’t read it that way but thanks for clarifying.
odd that they’ve stuck to their principles from Day 1 while the UK squirms around trying to achieve what they promised but is for some mysterious reason unachievable.
Who would have thought 
Agreed and ratified by both legislatures, or just agreed in principle?
Has to be ratified, because the whole reason for the effective deadline being very soon is sending it for approval to the European Parliament as well as review by the member states. There is a non-trivial chance of the EP rejecting a deal, they are in ill humour over Brexit dragging on. I suppose there is the possibility of a Parliamentary rebellion in the UK too, but that seems unlikely.