“Honestly, from what we see of the UK’s positions today we will not be moving to the next phase in October. To be clear: the crisis in these talks is not behind us but ahead of us. Pierre Sellal, France’s ambassador to the EU, said that seen from Brussels, the picture the UK gave was one of “confusion and hesitation”, while the remaining member states showed “clarity, unity ... a certain degree of serenity”. He said the impression the British were giving was of “a huge underestimation of the implications, the consequences, of their decision. “I am waiting for the big free-trade deals that a small island can conclude to its benefit with the rest of the world,” he said.

Source: The Guardian August 30, 2017 20:01 UTC