Political commentator Graham Eardley believes that if there should be a deal with the European Union, the UK will end up with Brexit in name only.
Sputnik: How significant is this development? Is Brexit perhaps under threat from David Frost and his negotiators' eagerness, for a breakthrough in talks, between Britain and the EU?
Graham Eardley: Well, the way the talks are going at the moment there seems little sign of a breakthrough. There is still the issue of our fisheries, and there's still the economic issues, such as workers’ rights, and state aid to be negotiated, and I think that it is unlikely we will get a deal. Boris Johnson himself is self-isolating, well just in the next two weeks, I doubt there will be any breakthrough forthcoming. I think this is just hype at the moment.
Sputnik: If David Frost is being truthful, and a deal is agreed by next week, what will Britain likely trade/concede to the EU? Will this deal come with strings attached in your eyes?
Graham Eardley: If a deal is agreed at this juncture, and considering where we are in the negotiations, we could end up with Brexit in name only, which is based on the withdrawal agreement which Nigel Farage for example has warned about, and that would even alienate a few more backbenchers within the Conservative Party - such as members of the European Research Group.
Sputnik: How have the resignations of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain effected the Brexit talks? Do you think these resignations are perhaps connected to this most recent Brexit breakthrough?
Graham Eardley: I think that it is interesting that they have gone and that there is talks of this Brexit breakthrough. Although Dominic Cummings or Lee Cain weren't part of the direct negotiating team, and that they were obviously the architects of the Vote Leave campaign which Boris Johnson also joined, and so they go out the way and then there's talks of a breakthrough. It just seemed to be a strange coincidence.
Sputnik: On the back of this news regarding a potential deal next week, what challenges and areas must the UK overcome, to ensure that Brexit is a success for Britain?
Graham Eardley: We need to get the Internal Market Bill passed first of all, so Northern Ireland is safe from a food supply perspective. I know Sainsbury's have threatened not to supply the full range of goods to its stores in Northern Ireland as things stand at the moment. I think we also need to clarify definitely what we'll do with the Irish border. We need to clarify what we're doing with the fisheries, we need to make sure that we keep British sovereign water, sovereign and we need to also look at how we do give state aid and whether or not we are able to support British companies.