Comments by "Nigel Johnson" (@nigeljohnson9820) on "Are the EU going to soften on Brexit negotiations? | Raw Politics" video.

  1. The EU intransigence on the backstop is counter productive and illogical. We're it not for the backstop, the withdrawal deal would most likely have be ratified by the UK parliament. If the UK leaves with out a deal, the EU will be in the same position as it would be if the UK had unilaterally withdrawn from the backstop or it had timed out. The EU would be forced to consider imposing a customs border in Ireland or between Ireland and the EU, since both the UK and the RoI have said they will not do so. The EU may as well remove the backstop requirement or put a time limit on it, as to do so is likely to get the rest of the withdrawal agreement ratified by the UK parliament. At the very least it will be £39 billion better off. As it is, it is going to have to fight to receive any money from the UK in the event of a no deal brexit and may lose some if not all of it. MEPs may not consider the backstop as a trap, but this view is not shared by the heads of member states who have a veto on the exit from the backstop. Both France and Spain have expressed the view that they will use the backstop to their advantage in trade negotiations of fishing rights and the future of Gibraltar. No doubt, other member states who are more politically astute to voice these views, will do likewise. The UK parliament is right to view the backstop as a trap, and reject it on that basis.
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