Moment of decision at last: Brexit deal agreed by officials will be put to the British cabinet today

Harriet Sergeant‏ @HarrietSergeant More

An old friend of Michel Barnier says Europe’s chief negotiator can’t believe his luck. He’s kept 27 EU countries united while the U.K. falls apart.

Andrew Lilico‏ @andrew_lilico More

Theresa May is asking her Cabinet to make what might be the most fateful decision in UK history on the basis of a 500 page document they only get a couple of hours to read & that they have no chance to obtain independent analysis, scrutiny & commentary upon. They should say no.

Douglas Carswell‏Verified account @DouglasCarswell More

Imagine being an EU official tonight. You must barely be able to believe your luck in finding a U.K. administration willing to sign up to being an indefinite rule taker, agree to let you run their trade policy, and give you £47 billion for the privilege

Nick Robinson‏Verified account @bbcnickrobinson More

Speed and ferocity of onslaught on PM’s Brexit deal by Boris, Rees Mogg, IDS and the DUP shows both their strength and their weakness. They need to kill it before it’s been read by anyone let alone signed by 27 other EU leaders allowing No 10 to frame choice as this deal v no deal.

Sarah Ager‏ @SaritaAgerman More

How long does it take to read 500 pages properly? And then re-read? Then analyse? Fact-check? Reflect? Debate? Vote? I'm guessing more than the length of an emergency cabinet meeting. I put more time and care into my weekly meal planning than this gov does for Brexit.

Andrew Lilico‏ @andrew_lilico

.@michaelgove told us we should stomach various unpalatable features of May's Brexit proposals because we could change them after we leave, if British voters chose to. Well, if Peston is right, May's deal will bind us in indefinitely without our voters being able to change things

Bruno Waterfield‏ @BrunoBrussels More

During talks, and concerns raised by countries including France and Germany, commission assured ambassadors that the planned deal would place Britain at an economic disadvantage leaving the EU in position of strength.

In a document that has been leaked, Sabine Weyand, the E.U.’s deputy chief negotiator, told European ambassadors that Britain 

“would have to swallow a link between access to products and fisheries in future agreements. We should be in the best negotiation position for the future relationship. This requires the customs union as the basis of the future relationship. They must align their rules but the EU will retain all the controls. They apply the same rules. UK wants a lot more from future relationship, so EU retains its leverage.”

Daniel Hannan said,

“Imagine a Brexit outcome so appalling that Leavers would rather stay in than accept it, and Remainers would rather leave cleanly than accept it....  
Which brings us to where we are – facing colonial rule from Brussels, of the sort the EU imposed on Bosnia following the Yugoslav war.”