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Not sure if anyone foresaw any of the twists and turns the last 4 years has brought TBH.
The EU have always stood firm that they would not compromise on the freedoms and would not provide membership benefits to a non member. That has been an unchanged constant since before the referendum even happened. To do so would weaken the union which they clearly would not choose to do so to benefit the UK.
The twists and turns have been political theater and nothing more.
I certainly read enough accounts in the run up to the referendum and warnings from people directly involved with the EU to know this was the most likely outcome . The pro remain newspapers certainly made a big deal of it. The EU trade advisers made a big deal of it. The various internationl trade lawyers who passed comment predicted this outcome. Do you think these people, the people with the most relavant knowledge and experience, just lucked out in their prediction?
EDIT: The UK has never had a negotiating position. The choice was for the UK government to back down and go for a "Brexit in Name Only" (swiss model) or suck up a hard Brexit. Surely "they need us more than we need them" is the biggest lie told to people who voted leave?
Stonehedge-
The only twist is when people will find out Boris and Co wanted a "hard brexit" all along so they can put rights and regulations on the bonfire.
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I'm not convinced that you can dismiss it all as political theatre. The whole thing is politics, the EU is a political union, made from, and of politics. This posturing is the reality of how things happen.
It doesn't need saying but I will anyway, the UK has been fucking stupid and dogmatic all the way through, their attempts to negotiate the WA and any future FTA have been done by some of the dimmest fuckers we could possibly have allowed to crawl out from under their filthy rocks. This brings us great shame.
Sumo
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Yes, this is well documented.
Not sure if anyone foresaw any of the twists and turns the last 4 years has brought TBH. Maybe you can claim you did, but I'd doubt the veracity.