Which is why the EU negotiators, instead of twiddling their thumbs, are effectively in the process of producing a "default" Brexit agreement covering all the bases that need to be covered - from their perspective. The longer the UK negotiators cannot really engage with them, for want of relevant and consistent political guidance, the longer the EU drafts become "facts on the ground" which cannot be changed later for want of sufficient time to renegotiate and ratify.

Sooner or later the UK will then be presented with a "take it or leave it" draft of over 1,000 pages of such complexity poor Boris and David won't even be able to read it. They will be relying to the tabloids to explain it to them in words of one syllable, and then reject it all in a huff because because without having any alternative.

Index of Frank's Diaries