Ed Miliband’s team appear to have also achieved their goals
A pragmatic ‘reset’ or a ‘surrender summit’? The spin has already started ahead of today’s big UK-EU jamboree at Lancaster House. Three main items are expected to be announced today: a security pact, a declaration on global issues, and a ‘common understanding’ of future topics to be negotiated. Expect plenty of the greatest hits from the Brexit years: cries of ‘betrayal’, talks going ‘down to the wire’ and endless cliches about how ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.’ As with every negotiation, there are likely to be both winners and losers from today’s conference.
A defence deal is likely, enabling greater co-operation and, potentially, further UK access to EU databases too. Britain’s main ask is for its defence companies to be able to bid for contracts under the EU’s new re-armament scheme – ‘Security Action for Europe’. The French want to severely restrict non-EU companies while the Nordics, Baltics and Germany favour greater openness.
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