Quote Originally Posted by DrPatrickBarry View Post
They can't can't be seen to give the UK a better deal than EFTA. It so there would not just be the UK involved in the negotiations.
Why not? They have given a better deal to Canada - if it ever gets over the finish line.

Don't confuse access to the single market with being in it.

The EU cannot actually stop access. The worst case scenario is WTO tariffs and it isn't a bad scenario for us.

Hollande probably doesn't want to be party to granting the UK tariff free trade, but the option is to shoot himself and particularly Germany and the rest of the longer standing EU countries in the foot.

If tariffs are introduced, even my little business will move some of my EU sourcing to the Far East. I'd actually save money, so it would benefit me. But at the moment I chose not to as the saving is only between 5 & 10% and requires more capital commitment due to larger orders and longer lead time.

Just imagine the impact on EU wine, if we end up with tariffs and then strike trade deals with Australia, New Zealand, South Africa.......

There's even a case for saying let them put in tariffs and be damned, and we just opt for tariff free imports anyway.