Leadsom's Towcester Meeting

Dear Emily Hall,

Thank you for the invitation to attend Andrea Leadsom's meeting on 8th December. I am currently in Mexico, and it would be impractical. Sorry.

My views:

(1)  for complete separation, the task for the civil service seem essentially impossible inside 2 years. Five would be more realistic, or 10.

(2)  a solution to the Irish border seems almost impossible, except that of UK staying inside an EU-compatible customs union.

(3)  to maintain trading access to EU we must maintain EU standards, which in any case suit the British preference for safety, and the environment. 

(4)  we have already lost the medicines agency, and banking authority. We must clearly brace ourselves to lose remaining vestiges of influence in the world's second largest trading and cultural block as we press on out of the EU.

(5)  I THEREFORE FAVOUR A NORWEGIAN TYPE RELATIONSHIP WHERE WE PAY WHAT IS NECESSARY TO RETAIN THE ACCESS WE NEED AND WANT. At least for 5 years.

Yours sincerely,