Opinion amongst EU diplomats is broadly that IF PM is talking about EU threatening integrity of UK endangering peace in NIreland etc IN ORDER to eventually sell idea to Tory party that doing a trade deal with EU this autumn is the best way to avoid all this .. then “so be it” /1

Say EU diplomats. General consensus here is that they’re not bothered how PM dresses up or presents a deal as long as there is one. EU has played hardball in trade negotiations and in the joint committee with the UK to work out how the Irish Protocol should work in practise /2

This, say trade insiders, should come as no surprise. In trade negotiations each side wants best deal possible for themselves. Each side- EU + UK - have sat on issues of importance to the other this year (tho they deny it) in order to create negotiating pressure on the other /3

Eg UK knows EU needs deal on fishing rights-so it’s playing hardball. EU knows UK anxious for its financial services to get a license to access Single Market after #Brexit.. so EU drags its feet.. EU has also played hardball in the Committee implementing the Irish Protocol /4

Regarding pinning down which goods are deemed at “high risk” of entering Single Market via NIreland. Tough negotiating is expected BUT PM threatening to break contract he signed with EU last year via the Internal Market Bill. That, for EU, isn’t trade negotiating hardball /5

It’s breaking international law. No-one I speak to in EU circles -on or off record -agrees with PM’s assertion that if Tory MPs vote against the bill, that makes agreeing a trade deal with EU less likely /6

EU attitude right now is to continue trade negotiations with UK to try to conclude a trade deal but if internal market bill becomes law in UK and is enacted by the government, then EU could suspend the trade deal - meaning imposing of tariffs and quotas - along with other deals/7

including financial services. EU warns this could be huge blow to UK manufacturing, automobile, agriculture sectors and city of London. It could impact NIreland hard on so many levels. Something UK and EU negotiators worked long and hard to avoid in drafting NIreland Protocol /8

NB Once again: the Northern Ireland protocol along with rest of Divorce Deal signed last year by Boris Johnson + EU leaders was designed as “all-weather agreement” ie to exist EVEN IF no trade +future relationship deal was agreed between EU and UK /9