No talks before Article 50, says Angela Merkel's spokesman

[NotAllThere]

I don't know how there can be "no informal talks".

No official formal talks. Unofficially, there'll be intensive discussions.

[tomtomagain]

(Surprised Nick Clegg hasn't been blamed as well)

Surprised he hasn't popped up ready to lead the negotiation.


Someone needs to start leading soon ....

[MyUserName]

Someone needs to start leading soon ....

I'll do it. At least I know that I have no idea what I am talking about.

[VectraMan]

Surprised he hasn't popped up ready to lead the negotiation.

Someone needs to start leading soon ....

Maybe we need a wartime coalition.

Not a terrible idea actually.

[jamesbrown]

Hamface is setting up (and is a) "unit".

They aren't going to trigger Article 50 until they know precisely what they want (bottom line, best case scenario etc.). There are degrees of informality and, regardless of what the EU is currently saying, there will be informal talks, because Hamface's unit will be populated by people that have long relationships with the Eurocrats. Much sounding out will take place.

Will there be an EEA+ (i.e. constrained free movement)? Difficult to say. Not if you listen to the Junker wing. More likely if you listen to Merkel, but it's very difficult to read her at this stage. The priority for Merkel et al. right now is to not accentuate market nerves until there's a functioning UK Gov't, but the tone could change once Article 50 is triggered, especially if Boris wins. TBH, I think that's going to plague Boris as the leadership contest develops. You're going to get Project Fear Mk. II from the EU institutions about dealing with him (not entirely unfounded either). I think May is a quite likely alternative, despite being a Bremainer.

Interesting times.

[SueEllen]

Surprised he hasn't popped up ready to lead the negotiation.


Someone needs to start leading soon ....

Nick Clegg ,while being useful for making pleasantries in multiple languages to make other European leaders feel at ease, is not the leader of any political party in the UK.

[DodgyAgent]

Why would they even talk to him? He is a backbencher MP, he got no authority. Nobody will talk to him until he is a PM or officially appointed by the Govt in some capacity that warrants ministers talk to him.

Until Article 50 is invoked they will be too busy anyway.

Doing what exactly?

[SueEllen]

Doing what exactly?

Fighting to control the Tory party.

[GJABS]

Couldn't one of us write and send the article 50 letter?

[scooterscot]

Cornwall voted out but still want the money, or at least the government to guarantee the same amount of investment

I read this. Nearly fell off my chair.