The great thing about the Christmas period is that pretty much everyone goes on leave, so we can all get some distance from work. That’s been true of the Article 50 process as much as anything else: a flurry of activity to book in some final bits under “work done in 2017”, before mince pies, […]
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It’s nearly the end of the year, so as a present for you, I offer up the final updates on Article 50, including today’s draft mandate proposal from the Commission. The European Council meeting a couple of weeks ago was a big step forward and generally increases the chances of a deal being reached. Importantly, there […]
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As we await the verdict of tomorrow’s European Council on the move to Phase 2, it’s perhaps useful to reflect on the decision-making style of Theresa May. Last night provided a vivid illustration of this, with the amendment to the Withdrawal Bill, which provides Parliament with a vote on the final deal. We might discuss […]
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Sometimes one has the impression that everyone involved in European politics is a big fan of Douglas Adams: certainly, as far as Article 50 goes, each new day brings absurdity piled upon absurdity. The last week has made this point better than most, with the sudden rush to agreement on Monday then brutally undercut and […]
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The past week has seen a flurry of activity on Article 50 negotiations, as the various parties race to make progress in time for consideration by the December European Council: it is likely that the next week will see further developments on this front. However, seen in the round, the past month has done little […]
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In my house, “rock’n’roll” has a very specific meaning. When uttered in the context of getting people out of the house it denotes that we have arrived at the actual moment of departure and no more delays will be tolerated: everyone is moving to the door.* Put differently, I have established a credible set of […]
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