Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
5.44pm GMT
Here is
Tom Kibasi, director of the IPPR thinktank, on the political declaration.
The political declaration confirms that Britain is heading for a hard Brexit—if it can solve the Irish border problem and avoid the backstop.
The language is warm but the message is brutal: if the UK aligns to EU regulations, trade will be easier. But no one should be in any doubt that this declaration rules out frictionless trade. And should the UK diverge its regulatory framework new barriers will be erected.
5.41pm GMT
This is from
Michael Russell, the Scottish government’s constitutional relations secretary.
Scots Tory MPs letter to PM on 14/11 says specifically that “access and quota shares cannot be included in the Future Economic Partnership”. Political Declaration now agreed shows they have been. The 13 therefore cant support May’s
#Brexit deal ( including
@DavidMundellDCT )
pic.twitter.com/KpqFQ1oM9a
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