020 7898 0500Just when you think there is some light at the end of the tunnel, along comes Number 10 to take the shine off Brexit hopes. Recent comments made by EU leaders have helped support sterling, as optimism over the chances of agreeing a deal with the EU before the deadline have increased. However, those hopes diminished somewhat yesterday, not least because Downing Street decided to throw some reality into the mix.
For too long, there has been a willingness to look at Brexit in ways that aren’t fitting for how complex the situation is. The truth is, there is still so much work to be done before a deal can be agreed – especially the Irish border issue. With just 171 days until the UK withdraws from the European Union, time is running out to iron out the plethora of remaining issues. If I were to list those issues here, this currency note would be thousands upon thousands of words long, but when the SNP announced it will vote against any deal that takes the UK out of the single market, renewed Brexit fears surfaced.
Downing Street said the big issues require movements on the EU and it looks unlikely that a deal will be reached at the summit next week. However, there was something to cling on to, as there have been reports that the EU will offer ‘anywhere’ checks in a bid to break the Irish border deadlock. The proposal centres on the possibility that goods destined for Ireland after Brexit could be checked as far away as Birmingham or London.
