No goodwill from EU so far in negotiations

THE cabinet proposals for a sort-of Brexit are a typical politician’s fudge that will lead to endless arguments over interpretation, like the fudged contractual agreement with West Germany in the 1950s that led to years of bad-tempered disputes over the costs of BAOR.

If the EU senses weakness and rejects the proposals, as it quite likely will, it will be a blessing we have not deserved.

If things can drag on until only a few months are left before we leave with nothing in place, the EU is then faced with consequences to their exports to us, and should then be willing to enter genuine negotiations instead of diktats and sneers.

There has been no goodwill on their side and on our side those who have been most vocal about the needs of industry and about employment have done the most to hinder attempts to have meaningful dialogue with our trading partners.

The ordinary citizen can only look at the troubles that follow when Parliament decides on the terms of a referendum. The one on devolution was an attempt at cookery that just failed. We should have been given a choice between complete independence, a Home Rule within a federal system, limited powers for an Assembly or status quo.

As it is, people were not sure what they were voting for and many did not vote at all or voted No. Similarly the vote on Brexit left far too much wriggle room for the politicians.

Referendums are to be welcomed as more of us lose faith in parties, but proposals need to be drafted and agreed outside Parliament – as happens in at least one state of the USA. DC Sage Penclawdd, Swansea