How the agreement is being pulled in different directions

What the UK PM wants …

It has taken UK Prime Minister Theresa May two years after the Brexit referendum to form a plan on what her government wants in the Brexit negotiations.

This plan was hammered out at Chequers, her official country residence, and caused three senior cabinet ministers to quit as a result.

It mostly envisages the continued trade in goods, services and financial services as occurs now. But it wants to put curbs on the fourth EU key freedom — the movement of people.

It wants to pick and choose which EU rules it will or won’t follow, and UK courts will take existing EU law into effect when making rulings. It would like to see the border with the Irish Republic be as open as is possible.

What the Brexiteers want …

Hardline Brexiteers want the United Kingdom to have as few ties, if any, with the European Union.

The key message of the Brexiteers is to “take back control” — meaning the London government should be able to make its own laws, control people coming into the UK, and engage in trading with any other nation under any new trade deals it wants to make, come March 29, 2019.

Right now, Brussels makes all trade deals for all EU nations. The harder the Brexiteer, the harsher the break. Some indeed favour paying nothing of €40 billion (Dh169 billion) already agreed for the UK’s long-term financial commitments to the EU. So too passport, security and customs checks at the Irish border and all points of entry.

What the EU wants …

The EU27 are united in wanting the UK to pat compensation for leaving the European Union, and a sum of €40 billion has been agreed to cover its commitments.

It wants to maintain the free movement of good services, capital and people across the bloc, and any Brexit deal must respect that — the UK won’t be allowed to “cherry pick”, and it’s all or nothing. The EU27 also say the border with the Irish Republic must be open. European law and the rulings of the European Court of Justice should be respected, with laws in the UK and the EU in alignment.

And the EU37 say that the rights of 2.5 million citizens living in the UK and 1.5 million Brits in the EU must be respected too.