In reality it’s very much in the EU’s favour and gives zero tariff access to the UK for import and exports on goods.
How anyone can describe it as not that bad for Britain when the Services industry is not included.
Not sure the threat of no deal was ever real, the transition could have been extended. It’s been done to get it rushed through with minimal scrutiny.
Services is one of the areas the EU hasn’t managed to create a frictionless single market itself. Service don’t also don’t attract duties in the same way other goods do. So the impact of Brexit on services is more limited than you’d probably think.
Personally, I’d rather us stay in the EU. However, if you’re going to do Brexit, you should break away from the EU’s legislative and regulatory orbit otherwise it defeats the purpose of leaving the EU. Otherwise, you’re leaving an organisation whilst remaining shackled to their rules and regulations without having the representation to influence their rules e.g. Norway and Turkey. Both Norway and Switzerland pay for access to the single market.
A soft Brexit is only good in a phased transition of leaving the EU, not the best long term solution. For example, remaining in a customs union, you can’t really have an independent trade policy. Whilst there’d be less disruption than the current arrangement, we’d be totally dependent on EU trade with no representation and less influence than inside the EU.
I appreciate that my views are quite nuanced. I’m a Remainer, but overall, this deal is reasonable as it achieves the goals of the Leave campaign.
