the customs union is the end goal

earlier in the negotiations the whole mechanism was to be described as the bridge to the future deal, which the UK team realised wouldn't play well with their MPs so it was re-worded as a backstop.

It is a backstop in the sense that it's the minimum deal the parties want to work from (and, logically, it is the only way to preserve an open border).

Makes Brexit utterly pointless as we become rule takers and can't have a truly independent trade policy, but those of us in the Remain camp get to say 'Told you so'.

Posted By: CWC, Mar 12, 13:04:37